


The Rockrose and the Thistle

by DoorsofImagination



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Aged-Up Number Five | The Boy, Canon Rewrite, F/F, F/M, Gen, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Possessive Number Five | The Boy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:07:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 54,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26650369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoorsofImagination/pseuds/DoorsofImagination
Summary: Re-write of season one. Aged-up Five. He had came back thinking that everything would work out in some way...Just how will it when two of his siblings are drowning, and the others are still dealing with their own childhood traumas?Darker and some aspects such as violence.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves
Comments: 23
Kudos: 171





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just read, I guess. I have too many things to be doing but I'm writing fanfic.  
> got my priorities in order, I guess.

**The Rockrose and the Thrisle**

Chapter One: _UNWOVEN_

"When you call to me asleep  
Up the ragged cliffs I scramble  
A single thread hangs limply down  
And I breathe not now, not now  
And I find you all unwoven  
Trying desperately to sew  
I know the kindest thing  
Is to leave you alone"

The Rockrose and the Thrisle

by:

The Amazing Devil

Sir Reginald Hargreeves, made many, many (so many to count) mistakes but it was nothing like just ignoring the position he had set their course ahead towards the end of the world. Perhaps in his Icarus he just never saw the probability that he was the catalyst for the apocalypse.

When five had ran out of the room that fateful day, it cracked something in all of them. The glue was starting to fall apart within all of them. The unsaid ‘leader’ of the Umbrella Academy was gone and the others where starting to feel the strain. The ‘lessons’ from their caretaker taking on a new and crueler step to achieve and unreachable standards. They all had to find ways to deal with this reshaping of their little family.

Number One—Luther tried to figure out how by putting his mind at being the leader (read: not disobeying ‘fathers’ orders fore he _himself_ could end up like Five—lost), overcompensating for it, making his ego flare since no one was going to try to discourage him not to. He thought himself too important by their caretakers’ right hand as the missions became more, and more.

Diego, or Number Two, fell into his insecurities about his placement as number two, that no one was really surprised that Luther and he would fight constantly. He trained just as hard, a result that ended him in the infirmary for two weeks with a knife wound to eventually scar his face. His thought of it made him look badass, even though sometimes people looked at it in disgust and fear for the boy. He did not let it get to him, still staying close to one of the only caregivers that ever gave them affection. Their mom.

Number Three, Allison was the game changer for the most part, being the only girl (to the outside world of course) in the academy that her follower’s attention was always pinched between her little fingers with a snap. She let her powers take over her, in a sense, to get an upper hand within the world of the boys around her.

Number four of the group, Klaus, was not really that influenced by the disappearance of Five as people would have thought at first. When that morning had happened, his head was still in the clouds high to keep the nightmare of ghost surrounding the mansion (‘ _Come on, Ben. You have to find it really weird of how many there is…maybe dads a serial killer!’ ‘Klaus, I think we’d know if he was.’ ‘that’s what he wants us to think!?’_ ). The fall from it sharped his resolve to not be ‘in’ his mind for too long. The alcohol and getting high became his escape in his fear that he would eventually see Five in ghost form hanging around just like so many. He only turned to harder highs once, Number Six ( _BEN!—Klaus! Hes gone_ -)…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

He left first of the group, at the age of seventeen, to find that rich high to stop the ghosts. He could not take them anymore. They still frightened him.

But now, he had a tag-a-long that did not disappear no matter how high he became.

_Ben._

Well.

He will just have to see how high it would take then.

The others followed suit. Allison left in the middle of a cold bitter night, a week after their eighteenth birthday, money she had rumored out of Pogo clutched under one arm while the other rolled her suitcase with not a look back. Diego slipped away on a rainy early morning in April the next year, with a quick last kiss to their Moms cheek.

With such a disappearance in their family and the horrific death of Ben, things had finally stretched and snapped like a rubber band. The others knew they had enough, and wanted to experience the outside world, finally.

Oh, and Vanya (‘ _Number Seven? But she’s just ordinary_?’)?

Their loving father had sent her away on the four-year (2ish year after Ben’s death) anniversary of Five’s disappearance. He had woken her up one surprisingly windy morning, with her one barely stuffed suitcase, and her violin case all packed. She did not get a chance to say goodbye to her siblings (not like they would care at this point), as they were on a mission. He thought it would help her remember that her life is just ordinary enough to not be remarked by the remarkable around her. She was just ordinary as the wallpaper that was around her small room, just part of the scenery.

Her father’s word exactly.

It did not add to the trauma of her life already.

It did not.

Did _not_.

_Not_.

**NOT**

.

.

.

It _did_ …

Her supposed siblings all had changed on the fateful morning as they had eaten their breakfast. She herself was stunned when Five slanted his forest eyes back at her, pleading for her to say it was okay to go (he promised that he would take her, but what did he really know of space and time? He is just a boy ( _oh, god. He was just a boy_ ) that she thought was not ready like their father had told him), but she could not. She only had Five at this point, her walls of dark quiet life were cornering her into her small pitiful world already. It was like she was watching from the corner of that very room as Five was at the only lighted exit; an arm and smirk awaiting but she, dulled on her pills could not think pass a thought, (too blurry— _how much did she take this morning again_?) still eyes widened in fear of the pitied dead hitting her stomach.

The movement shake of her head did not deter him. _What had been the unasked question again?_

Oh.

_Oh no_.

It was not the answer he had wanted.

Wasn’t it?

His jaw clenched, not looking back…and that was the last anyone saw or heard from him again and with him, he sealed that dark soundless room around her once again.

For weeks afterwards she had nightmares. Him stuck in time, afraid for the almost first time in his life. His Icarus finally becomes fulfilled. Her imagination getting to her in a cruel way, as she watched like a silent phantom. He would cry in some, others…he would get hurt. Her pills were the only thing that really kept the base of the nightmares away, and father had said to take them when emotions become too much.

(Maybe in some ways it made her like Klaus. An addict. To numb the problem away, but medically done…does that somehow make it worse?)

The others had longed forgotten her existence by then, that they had not counted her in the leaving train.

**She** was the first.


	2. I'll Keep Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JUST FYI: THIS CHAPTER GETS SOMEWHAT DARK MENATLLY.  
> THE WARNINGS: ABUSE MEMTIONED, DRUGS, SEX, AND EATING DISORDERS MENTIONED
> 
> Five in all his faults has to admit, he was wrong until he was right.  
> Vanya only knew of faults. Perhaps that's why no one told her.

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Two: _I'll Keep Running_

"The air is cold on my face

I've never been to this place

I'll keep my eyes straight ahead"

I'll Keep Running

by:

Mountains in the Sea

* * *

Five knew he fucked up.

Fucked up big time.

He had hoped that Vanya wanted to come along with him (even looking back; probably wasn’t a good idea since he hadn’t gotten a hang on space jumps yet with other people), but it was a miracle that she turned it down with a shake of her head. He had seen her, always has, her eyes glossed over as her pills tried to hide an overwhelming emotion come through her.

He clenched his jaw then and now, thinking about that moment in harsh clarity.

_So, so, so dumb._

He had brought this upon himself. He thought he was forever going to go crazy in the wasteland after the apocalypse. He was so happy that he had found the right equation at first, testing it once _(‘not ready, my ass’_ ), twice and then the third devastating third time.

_Ash, hot, death, rubble._

_Bodies, destruction, silence._

_And the silence._

**THE SILENCE.**

He sighed, wishing for a glass of bourbon. The scope of the gun in his hands on the car turning in the street, crowds cheering around him. _Maybe Delores was right. I should stop drinking_ , he thought to himself, cheers roaring muffling. His heart pounded in his chest; the old desperate numbers slanted into place in his head for the first time in 45 years. _Of course_!

He pulled out the worn beloved book from his pocket once he placed the gun down, flipping it open to recheck his math on the frail pages. _I can do this!_ His mind raced from him, eyes turning once more to the motorcar on the street. Just a few more seconds…

BANG!

Screams were his que. He knew he had a noticeably short window to do this. Putting the book back into his pocket, he charged his hands with the haunting blue and opened a portal.

*****17 Years Later= 2019*****

Perhaps, her small misstep did not help her out in the long run. The years rolled by in waves or a turning tide she was not prepared for, and her guilt of her choice is now numb. She’s only guilty of her not putting enough trauma in it and painting herself as optimistic and hopeful for the future when she, herself, is just as screwed up as the rest of them. In her writing her own book about being the silent Number Seven she closed those doors that had already been shut before. But now? Now, she knew there were locked on them tightly, her with no key to unlock them.

Vanya had found ways to get around the deepening crater of where her soul was once fire and hot.

Just take a pill. (‘ _Number SEVEN!’_ )

Of Luther calling to say he was going to the moon, and her book made him feel like he did not even know her at all…that she had no right to publish it? (She did not have the right, thinking back…what the fuck was she thinking?) THAT first pill was a bitter, bitter pill. (She ended taking two because she had nightmares of Five in a hellscape after mixing the first pill with a small vodka drink)

Saw Allison on TV talking about the book, as she tried to sway the reporter that their past traumas and scars were not that bad. That what was written in those books were just a fallacy written by a bitter person? Laugh, then take a pill…no alcohol needed this time.

Diego stopping her on the street just to yell about it was her fault that he lost his job, and that he won’t bother helping her out again (Vanya did not even remember that time?)? Take a pill with a shaking breath, watching as he stalked away in the sudden downpour. It was the first time she had wanted food in god knows how long, but after the chance meeting she just wanted her bed instead.

Klaus was a different story together. She had seen him through the years after they had left the mansion. She would lend him her couch, and in the morning would wake up to some things gone in her apartment (just take another pill) but at least she knew he cared. In his own way that she was alive. But that door slammed shut at his knocking at her own creaky door at 2 in the morning asking for restitution for giving her stuff to write about in the book? Give him some money from your wallet _(‘100? That it?! You have made millions off our image, Vanny! I’ll be back_ ’) in shaking hands, then: TAKE. A. PILL.

Klaus never came back for more nor did he stop by when he had hit the stone wall of being high.

It sadden her.

It worried her.

Sometimes, when her pills had not destroyed her will to eat (thinking about it, she could have also an eating disorder on top of everything else. Another ordinary thing about her) she would go out to eat. She would look down dark alleyways, wishing and hoping to just see a glimpse of her brother. She just wanted to make sure he was still alive.

Not dead, like she was to them.

Which led to the stone dropping in her barely full stomach after getting a granola bar from the convenience store on her way home, the lights of the television in the store window glowed with the sudden news.

Reginald Hargreeves was dead.

She almost wanted to laugh, if she had not taken a pill after her encounter with first chair, Helen Cho. Even with years of practice, she is still just ordinary in the eyes of everyone around her.

‘ _You’re like the wallpaper of this room, Number Seven. Just part of the scenery. You’re just ordinary_.’

Her mind only likes that little memory the most, apparently.

The patter of rain slanted as winds picked up, the weather had an irony of following her mood. Ever since childhood. She dully mused, _maybe that is my superpower_.

She turned down the darkened street, shoulders hunched.

Her siblings did not even tell her themselves that he had passed.

Maybe she should not go back to that awful place.

It was never home in the first place.

Home left long ago.

In the morning, the rain had lightened up to a patter, making the weatherman on her small television confused at the spontaneous rainstorm. The one of thousands that have happened in the last 15 or so years, that this city just expected it when going out nowadays.

She shut her door with a silent hush after making sure the light was still on, just in case.

Getting to the mansion was not the hard part for her morning. She was just silently surprised that there was no reporters in front of the now rusty gate of the umbrella academy. Her hardest part to get over was to put her feet in front of the other, up those couple of steps into the place of unhidden hells for her.

She sighed, her fingers curling over the bottle in her jacket once again.

Most people would expect her to stop taking them once she was out of the house, but in all honesty…she’s so used to take them that just like her, became part of her scenery walls. They clunk together as she hopped up those steps, into the mansion without a time to stop and actually think of the consequence of her returning to this place.

Seeing Pogo just walking into the foyer, he greeted her warmly with a hug that did not get through the wall of her numbed soul, “miss Vanya, welcome home. Its lovely to see you, I am sadden that it had to be under these circumstances.”

“I did not know if I was actually welcomed or not, actually. Debated on coming.” She told him with a smile that would never really reach her eyes. Her eyes drifted into the sitting room where mother was sitting by the fire, under the portrait of Five. His cold eyes taunted her, before her eyes slanted back to Pogos.

Pogo sighed, “this will always be your home.”

Vanya did not even respond, just a noncommittal hum. Eyes going to the movement on the stairs. She ignored the feeling of Pogo leaving her side, but she could not deal with the hurt. _Just one more pill_ , her mind supposed almost seductively, _just one more to numb all those feelings_. She slammed down hard one that train of thought her emotions bubbling like haywire under her skin. Her jaw clenched, seeing Allison make her way down the stairs, a bright blue shirt that dazzled in front of her eyes with her hair a gorgeous mane.

Number Three has a slighted smile was she met her sister at the bottom of the stairs, “I didn’t know if you were gonna make it.” The words jarred between them awkwardly. Allison looked over her once, taking in her no doubt too big clothes.

“She shouldn’t’ve come anyways.” The voice of Diego sneered as he made his way up the stairs.

“Nice to see you too, Diego.” Allison snarked, “You could’ve dressed up you know.”

Diego did not even break his stride, “At least I wore black.” He got the last say in before he was gone from sight.

Vanya shifted in her feet. _Shit_ , she thought, _I really shouldn’t have come_. “You know, maybe Diego’s right. I shouldn’t have come.” She shifts back, almost ready to just run towards the door, just like Five had done all those years ago.

“No. I’m glad you’re here.”

It was the tone that gave away the lie, and they both knew it. But she couldn’t leave even if it was a lie. The compounded part that always wants to be accepted shining through.

So she stayed, taking another pill just to make sure she was good and numb. Her siblings don’t intend to be mean, but sometimes the words hurt more than the blow.

_‘You’re just ordinar—’_

The words were finally cut off as the extra pill curled around her emotions and locked them down tight. Her skin felt tight, and she felt like someone turned the volume of the world around her. Her world became a little hazy after Luther accused one of them to have killed their father. She wanted to scream and throw a fit at him for saying such a thing, but Klaus beat her to it, with a witty liner. ‘I’ll be right back, let me just go kill Mom.’ Then he was gone and up the stairs.

_So much for quality time_ , she thoughts curved through the haze, as she sat down on the stairs. Her room was no longer as Klaus tore it down to make his big room even bigger.

_Just another way they erased you_ , her voice sneered sharply, almost taking her breath.

Shit. How much pills have she taken already today? Her mind jumbled together thinking…

Dark words only come out after the third one taken in a twelve-hour range. _Fuck_ , she rubbed her head _. I should be careful of this! Not like last tim_ —

Then music was on and her body came alive, more than her mind.

A flash of blue and the things around the mansion began to shake. And they were all running to the back courtyard, her mind forgetting that its supposed to be alarmed at the sight of a vortex opening in the sky. Her siblings (namely Number One and Number Two) fought over who’s really going to protect them, before Klaus came in and threw a fire extinguisher at it but it did nothing.

She wanted to roll her eyes. _They were superheroes but do not know how to make a sensible plan on the spot? Maybe Five really did take all the brains when he left._

Then the vortex changed and a man fell through the opening straight to the ground. Her siblings and her speechless.

“I fucking did it!” The man sighed then did an exhausted laugh, pulling himself up. He patted himself down, “Well, for the most part.” He looked a little ragged with a full beard, but his eyes weren’t ever mistakable for Vanya at least.

“Five?”


	3. Behind Blue Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ENJOY!

**The Rockrose and the** **Thistle**

Chapter Three: _Behind Blue Eyes_

"No one bites back as hard  
On their anger  
None of my pain and woe  
Can show through"

Behind Blue Eyes

by:

The Who

Those green eyes met hers fiercely. The spark of curious innocence was gone and if she had not taken that third pill; her heart would’ve thundered in her chest at the thought. _Five, what happened to you?_ She thought. The others around her started questioning him, but when the man finally just teleported away, it answered the question in making no mistake who he was.

Five couldn’t believe that his calculations were correct. Finally, after so many long years he was finally home. The only thing that submitted it for him was Vanya’s voice whispering his name through the commotion of shouts and shocked panicked words from his siblings.

_I’m finally home._

But once his eyes caught Vanya’s they never left. She had always been small growing up, but it was as if she hadn’t grown since. She looked just like the photo on the back of the book in his pocket. Yet, more hollowed out, her checks sharper, her eyes more glazed. It made his own eyes tighten and jaw clench at the realization that she hadn’t been eating regularly. Her clothes made her look small, sizes way too big for her such small frame. But it was her hazed glassed look in her brown eyes that shook him the most.

She was still on those stupid pills.

He could’ve stare at her for the whole day, but in a bit of anger and annoyance he accidently spaced jumped.

He sighed, taking in the familiar look of the kitchen. It looked the same for the most part, just a bit rundown, and everything looked wearied down. _At least it was the kitchen, not somewhere else_ , he quipped to himself, _that would’ve been disastrous_.

Plus, he was hungry.

And if what he saw was true, Vanya needed one too. She needed something to soak up those pills.

He had seen enough of glazed eyes.

He shuddered.

The others finally found him, all coming in numeric order. They all took seats to face him, which he ignored for the time being. He pulled the bread from the shelf to start his sandwiches while the others glanced at one another, trying to figure out who should ask.

As always, Luther started first, “Five where the hell have you been?” They should’ve let Vanya talk to him. She wouldn’t have asked stupid questions of him.

“The Future.” Before jumping to grab the marshmallows and the peanut butter, “It sucks by the way.” He put it plainly and hoped a suddle glance at Vanya would get her to say something.

It didn’t.

“I knew it!” Klaus exclaimed, a wide smile on his face.

He wanted to laugh at his brother. It felt so good to be in his presence again…even with the stupid humor. “What date is it. The _exact_ date?” He questioned before anyone else could start talking.

“March 24th, 2019.” Vanya supplied quietly.

He paused, then nodded. At least she was giving some verbal communication with him. He thought she would be pissed about him leaving her. He left her here knowing in the back of his mind it wasn’t going to go well.

“Oh, good.” He nodded again to himself.

The air in the kitchen stilled as the others stared at him. So, he stared back, “Nice dress by the way.” He commented to Klaus, making the other man blush. It looked like something out of Allison’s closet. Klaus just thanked him, making the tense air mellow again.

Luther sighed with another question on his tongue no doubt, “How long were you there?”

Ash….

Rubble.

**Bodies**.

_S I L E N C E_

He straightened himself to his full length, ignoring the question for now. The paper on the table was one of Reginald’s face on it. ‘ _Good riddance_.’ “Looks like I made it just intime for the funeral. How did he die?”

“Heart attack.”

“We don’t know.”

Both Luther and Diego talked over one another.

Five guesses even as time passes, some things will always remain the same. He was not sure if that was a good factor or a bad one just yet. “Hm. Looks like things haven’t changed.” Once he was finished with his task at hand, he moved with force to place one of the plates in front of a still confused Vanya. “ _Eat_.” He left no room for her to debate before walking away from the rest of them. He saw the shocked and very confused looks the others were sending his way. Klaus being the loudest to exclaim he was playing favorites.

Which was true.

But.

He didn’t need it spelled out.

So, he just walked away with a snarky remark as always.

Vanya just stared at the sandwich as the others started to squabble then disperse to find Five once again. Their voices carried until they where a little bit down the hall. Her head felt fuzzy still, she knew before Five came back into her life, there was an important fact she was missing.

The hum and snap of space bending to her left was the only thing that registered.

“Did you just trick them to leave, seriously?” She questioned him.

He just answered with a smirk, before sitting down next to her, “I thought I told you to eat.” He raised an eyebrow challenging her to disobey his command.

She knew in essence that she should eat but her stomach rolled and gnawed at the thought of food. Her eyes stayed on the sandwich so she would not be pressured into eating it with one look from him.

Like when they were children.

It seems after a moment, she had won the little game, when he sighed. “Just a couple of bites. It’ll help soak up the pills.” _Oh, shit_ , she thought through the haze, _I had forgotten that he could read me so well_. He carried on, “I read your book by the way. Pretty ballsy, if you ask me.” He slanted back in his chair, with almost not a care in the world.

That sentence did not make her want to eat even more. The pills in her stomach bubbled, “They hate me.” She whispered before finally picking up the food anyways and nibbled at it, just to satisfy Five.

At a moment of watching her take some small bites, “trust me, there are worst things to be hated for.”

“There you are! Sneaky, sneaky little bro!” Klaus came sauntering back in.

Five clenched his jaw in annoyance, taking his eyes of Vanya. But he made sure to watch in his peripheral view. Just as he did, he saw Vanya subtly place the sandwich back on the plate. She barely even ate a third of a half. “Why were you looking for me?” He questioned.

“Yes, actually. Big uno says that the funerals about to begin, and its raining something just so awful.” Klaus pouted dramatically.

“What the fuck you want me to do about it? I don’t control the weather.” He crossed his arms. He could feel a frown gracing his features as his brother ignored Vanya in the room. Vanya ignored that she was being ignored, her eyes once again glazing over, and her eyes slanted towards the sink. He remembered that they were close to each other at one point in their childhood. _What the hell happened_? His brain wanted to shout.

Klaus just pouted deeper, “Shhhhut up.” His eyes snapped to the side towards a probable entity by him.

Klaus was right about it raining. The others formed a circle as they waited for Luther to start.

He had tried to stand next to Vanya, but Klaus had taken a hold on his arm (with strength that he didn’t know his brother had) to just squabble at him, and the unknown entity following him. He could have gotten out of his hold, but he could feel even the coldness of Klaus’ fingers through his suit jacket. Klaus looked like he got a shade paler, the longer they waited.

Just like Vanya.

“We don’t have time for this.” He shook his head as he turned away from Luther and Diego fighting over father. Again.

He needed coffee if he was going to take care of the apocalypse. He had to get his priorities in check. First the apocalypse then everything else after…

Except Vanya and Klaus.

They worried him the most with the treat of the end of the world over their heads.

Yeah, he is going to need coffee.

Lots of it.

The others slowly followed in suit other than One and Two and…

“Where’s Vanya?” He questioned trying to keep his hands busy to not think—

 _Ash._ **Bodies.**

~~Silence.~~

“She left. Said about her violin practice?” Alison commented confused as to why Five would care, sitting down at the table.

“Well, that’s unfortunate.” The beast inside of him clawed at its cage. This was the first time in over 45 years that he had laid eyes on her, and it did not like to be separated again. He should have told her to stay here, with the others…and him. She would have stayed. But maybe she already has her own life? Away from them. _Don’t you mean you?_ A voice taunted sweetly in his head. Delores…

Shit.

He couldn’t find what he wanted here, “Jesus who do I have to kill for a cup of coffee around here?” He questioned out loud, trying upon hope to drown the voice out.

“Oh, dad didn’t like coffee.” Allison plainly said.

Klaus darkly chuckled, “He didn’t like children, but he had _plenty_ of us.”

Five smirked cruelty at that before turning to them, “I’m talking the car.” He didn’t even wait for a reply and jumped.


	4. Heaven's Got A Back Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

**The Rockrose and the** **Thistle**

Chapter Four: _Heaven's Got A Back Door_

"I'm through feeling sorry  
For the things that I can't choose  
If I made it this far being who I am  
Maybe heaven's got a back door too"

_Heaven's Got A Back Door_

by: Dead Sara

“I feel like we should go after him, but honestly? I kinda just want to see what happens. He was destructive as a baby teen; I’m wondering how much he can do now.” Klaus commented after Five disappeared from sight with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle. “And what was the thingy with the sandwich for Vanya, hm? _Favoritism_ much?” He raised an eyebrow to Allison when she did not answer right away. “Come back down to Earth, Ally.”

Allison just wobbled her head, “Sorry. Just…does he seem _different_ to you than you remember?” Her mind was boggled with trying to put this grown up Five in place of the one from her memories. It was like trying to put a puzzle together but with only the outside edges and the parts from the picture were from a different puzzle all together. They were missing information somewhere.

Or even the whole dam puzzle.

“ _Oh yeah_.” He chuckled with a shaky breath. “But still definitely our little cheeky Five.” His eyes slanted towards Bens ghost (he was perched on the cabinet behind Allison—that bastard) that was becoming more vocal the longer his mind was clearing from the drugs he took this morning.

He wanted to flip him off, but it would make Allison think that it was towards her, so he did not— _barely_.

“ _He did seem a little off_.” Ben reflected, “ _Like he was settled into more of his instincts_.” His feet thumped the cabinet below him but gave no noise.

Klaus had to pause for a second to remind himself that Ben was actually dead.

Dead.

Fucking _dead_.

He had a vivid short memory pop up, with that realization. It was back before they terrified him. Him sitting in the foyer at midnight with (probably the only friendly ghost in the whole dam mansion) an elderly woman. She looked normal enough that it did not set the warnings of a ghost (those after this moment did. Probably from dads _such_ good parenting skills when he found out what Klaus could do) and talked for an hour about nothing and everything…before…before…well just _before_. It was then he could not decipher what was dead and what was alive. That was a startling understanding that he did not need on any day ever.

“Well,” he pursed his lip; shaking loose of the (only real fond) memory, “he _did_ say he went to the future.” He commented on, “Hey! Maybe him and Vanya were close in this future! No, that would be weird enough… _or_! Maybe he’s not our Five just an alien copy from another dimension to throw us off its scent!” He was mighty proud of that explanation as his smirk became a full-grown smile once he heard both of his sibling’s groan.

“All right, I guess I’ll see you guys in, what, ten years?” Diego tiredly exclaimed as he made his entrance. “When Pogo goes?”

Allison scuffed, “not if you die first.”

Diego just sneered, “Yeah, love you too, sis. Also, good luck on the next film, hope it turns out better than your marriage.” He sharply snarked at her before continuing his way towards the back door, Allison following with mouth opened for a comeback.

“Are-are we leaving?” Klaus interrupted the spatting duos from starting a full-blown fist match. He needed to get out of the mansion before the other ghosts that haunt it will find him once again. Like when he was a child. They always talked over themselves.

It still surprised him how many were… _L I N G E R I N G_ in the old decrepit house.

There was always so many.

_SO_ many. (Especially in the kitchen. Like what _the_ fuck?)

_Maybe I am not far off with thinking dad was a serial killer_ , he pondered.

“No, _I’M_ going—”

“Fabulous!” He clapped louder than he should have. The ghosts in the kitchen were starting to turn towards him, as he felt his powers liven within him. All of them gnarled and gaunt, mouths ready to tell their tales. “I’ll get my things.”

“ _You don’t have any_.” Ben remarked dryly as he stood close to Klaus in a blink.

“Well I have _you_ , don’t I?” Klaus fired at Ben.

* * *

He sat at Griddy’s Donuts waiting. He got the address, he needed from the kind gentleman that paid for his coffee before the man left.

He knows he made a serious offense when leaving the Commission. They would be after him. He honestly did not think it would take this long. He had been here for almost 10 hours straight with no assassins breathing down his neck. It made him want to laugh somewhat horrendously. He almost thought they had forgot about him.

_Almost._

So, when the thugs had made it into the diner, he wasted no time hacking them into pieces. Quite easily too. A smirk gracing his features at the unskilled hitmen. He taunted them and took them out in a couple of moments with a precision of only a serial killer could pull off. He guessed it was because he was the best of the best out of all of them.

Like he was _made_ for it.

Thank god they didn’t come earlier where Vanya (and he guessed as well, Klaus) could have been hurt…or worse.

He gave a tired huff, once he realized they placed a tracker on him from a finder tracker. That was how they found him.

_How the fuck did they do that?_

He scoured his vast mind to think of a time when it could have happened, yet nothing came to mind. His heart skipped as fear gripped his being for the first time since landing in the apocalypse. He quickly yanked his jacket off. Five searched his body quickly with frighteningly shaky hands (Ash. Hot. Nothing. Silence.), before finding an unusual bump under the skin of his forearm. _Fucking, fuckity_.

He sat down in a frustrated huff, curling his shirtsleeve up while taking a knife from his pocket. He pressed the sharp edge into his skin, digging around with only a small grunt at the pain. _Just a small pain, nothing you have not faced before…this is_ nothing, he sneered at himself to grit his teeth. He could do this. It took less than a real moment to find the small device, the knife clinked onto it. He dropped the weapon to the table, using his fingers instead to pull the contraption out of his arm sending a small gush of blood to crawl out of his skin. He looked at it for a moment, forgetting his wound.

“You Fucker.” He mumbled to himself.

He was tired, placing his head in his hands to gather his fury thoughts.

ASH

.

HOT

.

.

BODIES

.

.

.

_SILENCE._ ~~SILENCE.~~ **SILENCE.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

SILE—

He took a battered breath in, forcing himself up from the counter and turned on a dime, pulling on his jacket ( _better to hide the evidence of this massacre, right?_ ). His feet moved quickly towards the broken door. The bodies around him (ASH. Bodies-) becoming a part of the scenery for him, as he moved. His emotions wrangled together, his mind fighting to leash them into there container. They were no use at the moment.

He needed to get out of there.

His heart still pounded in its cavity as he shut his face off to a cold mask, throwing the tracker on the damp ground.

Fuck this all to hell.

It took him little to no time to find where Vanya lived, that it made him slightly paranoid. What could someone do with this kind of information? She could be raped, kidnapped, or murdered. From what he could tell, the Academy still have a couple of ‘villains’ out there looking for blood in the water. Why the fuck wasn’t their brainless siblings trying to protect her? Did they really forget her this much, as her book had suggested?

He also came through the window that she just happened to leave open (one that he made sure to shut soundly. Though no locks actually made him want to buy some right at that moment). Not his best moment he will admit, but he was running low on juice to space jump anywhere anytime soon.

He then walked through the small apartment to check every inch of it for bugs and surveillance just to make sure. Five even saw that she left a light on ( _probably forgot in the ‘haze’ of pills she was on right now_ , he thought saddened), what a waste of electricity really so he turned it off. He did not fear the dark anymore…he already knows what lives within its depths. He planted himself in a chair by the window and stared into the dark around him.

He did not even have to wait long as he heard small delicate footsteps make their way down the hall. _Even now, she was like a ghost_ , he thought remorseful.

Fuck everything to hell.

He should have stayed but his pride and judgment got in the way.

Before he knew it, the doors lock was being unlatched, and he straightened his tie nervously for this was truly the first time they would be alone as she reached to flicker the lights on.

But he beat her to it, startling her briefly, “You know you should have locks on your windows.”

A test for her, to see if her pills had worn off enough to have this type of talk.

“Jesus!” Vanya exclaimed the first ever real emotion he has gotten from her since his return, before sighing shutting the door behind her, “I live on the second floor.”

He took it as a good sign that she did not throw him out as soon as she saw him. He also noted that she was making full sentences to him…hm. Then it could be their siblings that turned her off to talking, or perhaps the mansion itself. (Or the _pills)_

“Rapist can climb.” He shot back at her to remind her. _She was not taking her safety seriously_ , he thought bitterly, _just like when we were kids._ The beast inside raged and shook its cage to be released. _Not yet_ , he reminded it, _not now_. He had saw from his walkabout her apartment that she lived alone. There were no trinkets from the mansion (other than perhaps her violin that she took with her) nor did she have any real food in the apartment either. That last finding struck a chord in his chest making it tighten harshly as he had stewed for her return.

“God, you are so weird.” She mumbled to him, taking off her coat, prior to taking a seat on the couch next to him. He shifted nervously again in his seat. She was so close that he could see in her eyes, her mind was clearer than it was from back the mansion.

Her eyes stared straight into his for a moment before shifting to something below his chin. He could see her eyes creasing together in concern. He almost wanted to laugh happily, as he could see the old Vanya spark through, “Is that blood?” she asked.

Shit. The blood. “It’s nothing.” He told her dully wanting to stay on task. They had an apocalypse to avoid.

She breathed for a short instant, eyes fluttering with emotion again. Her hands rubbed the top of her legs, almost to calm her nerves. He could see the moment when her eyes glanced to a shelf behind his seating to a book. One that he had found already in his search of the apartment, that was a hidden compartment for her backup pills. If she went to them now, he would have stopped her just as quickly. He needed her mind not tainted as much as possible in that second.

She did not, which he thought took courage on her part not to touch them, “Why are you here?” she finally asked him.

Sighing, then shifting because even if he wanted to have this conversation, he did not want to have this conversation, “I’ve decided that you’re the only one I can trust.” He reflexed his hand at his side, the stinging of his still gaping wound calling into attention.

“But why?”

“Because your ordinary.” He told her plainly. He did not need their super powered siblings to get involved in this. They barely have one braincell between each other as it is. Yet, he saw those brown eyes shutter emotions, her face giving only a twinge of hurt on it (he is proud of her finally knowing how to shield strong emotions from her face, but he will always be able to read her like an open book), “Because you’ll listen.” He corrected.

She looked again, though down at his hand. His blood must have started leaking out onto his hands from the climb up to her apartment.

She did not waste time before getting up off the couch, not saying a word.

_Shit_ , he thought panicked _, this is not the way it was supposed to go_. His hand reached out for her, but she was already halfway out of the room.

Vanya made her way silently into her small excuse for a bathroom, grabbing the necessary tools to help with his probable wound. As she closed the medicine cabinet, her reflection stared hauntingly back at her.

_‘Because your ordinary.’_

‘ _You’re just ordinary._ ’

Her mind bled those sentences together until they were basically the same. Yet, she knew deep down Five did not really mean it to heart (she hoped) as her father once spat it at her.

And.

Yet.

Her mind was still in its fog, but with that one statement from Five, it brought those memories into full clear view.

She opened her medicine cabinet again, taking her pill bottle out of it to dry throat another one of them. If she was going to be dealing with any pain from where this conversation will probably go, she wanted all her bases covered thoroughly.

She quietly made her way to him, his eyes shocked before turning resigned to pull up his shirtsleeve.

The uptake of a sharp breath from her as she finally saw the wound startled him (she had seen already worse wounds on him when he was still in the Academy), then got to work. Five watched her effort, his doubts of her leaving or even telling him to leave were dashed. She cleaned the wounds carefully almost afraid to break him even more, her calloused fingertips from playing the violin brushing his skin softly. He wanted to laugh and to cry at the same time. It was the first time in so long that he had felt another human’s touch without it (or him) inflecting pain. He liked it more than he thought he would at that moment.

He softened his look, “When I jumped into the future and got stuck, do you know what I found?”

She only shook her head, eyes still on the wound.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

_ASH, BODIES, SILENCE._

_Hot it was so hot; ash was falling from the sky. Where was his family, where was everybody, Vanya where—_

He took a sharper breath as he continued, “As far as I could really tell, I was the last person left alive. I never figured out what killed the human race, but…I did find some key knowledge. The date it happens.” He made sure her eyes were looking right at his. Him, being still so lost in that memory he didn’t notice that her eyes were becoming more expressionless as emotions that were rallying in her were being stilted and shut down, “The world ends in eight days. I have no idea how to stop it.” He told her gravely.

Vanya stayed silent for a moment, her brain glazing over. _Fuck, fuck, fuck,_ her thoughts screamed in horror. She should not have taken that pill. This is not the conversation she thought they would be having right now. How where they supposed to have _this_ kind of conversation now? She did not want to deal with it, but she had to…or Five could leave again. _He was already gone_ , those darker self-thoughts sneered from within the darkness of where her soul once was so bright, _he will leave again…just wait. Its what they all do in the end_ _to leave you in a cold dark void_ (no it is not true) _you know it is, after all, your just ordinary._ She finished her breath trying to take in the most information that he told her before her brain refused any knowledge, “I’ll put on a pot of coffee.”


	5. I Never Get it Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Its a short chapter, but needed I guess?  
> Thank you for all the reviews!!  
> ENJOY!

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Five: _I Never Get it Right_

_"I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees 'cause I_   
_I want honey on my table_   
_I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees 'cause I_   
_I want honey on my table_

_But I never get it right_   
_No, I never get it right'_

Black Honey

By: Thrice

Five waited for her to finish the coffee. He needed a moment to gather his swirling thoughts.

“I survived on anything I could find,” the words flooding out of him, “That thing about twinkies? Not true at all.”

“I can’t even imagine.” Vanya mumbled to him, to not break his groove.

“It was either though it out or die. We adapted.” _Shit_. He did not mean for that the slip. He did not let it show on his face, taking a sip of the coffee instead.

“We?” His stomach sunk. And her emotions tightened and cracked the walls that the pills had on them.

“Got anything stronger?” he needed to change the topic away from Delores. _Why? afraid_? Delores’ voice questioned in his mind. He watched her for a moment from his seat as she took an almost empty bottle of bourbon out to pour in a glass. _Looks like you are not the only one that needs to lay off the drinks_ , Delores commented, “You don’t believe me, do you?” He questioned instead as soon as she made it back to him.

“No…it’s just…a lot to take in is all.” Her voice broken and void off all hints of underlying emotions.

For the first time since she walked in, he glimpsed her over; contemplating. “ _Vanya_.” He commanded lowly in a harsh manner, a way he has not done to her since they were ten, “What did you do?” he spoke slowly to get to her. She never had a problem with keeping up with him before.

She ignored the question and asked one for herself, “Why did you not just time travel back?”

He scuffed at the question, “Gee, wish I thought of that. Time travel is a crapshoot, just like the old man said.” He suddenly stood to tower over Vanya, to move closer. He noticed that her eyes were focused on the side of his face, but that just would not do. His hand shot out to take her chin carefully to turn her eyes towards him; rubbing the skin at the warmth under his fingers, “You took another pill, didn’t you?” his jaw was aching from being clenched so tightly. He should have thought she would go for the ones in her medicine cabinet.

_Fuck._

In frustration, he moved away ignoring the cold withdrawal that followed him.

Five moved to the kitchen, downing the glass of alcohol then pouring himself another. He wanted to vent his rising anger at her but what would’ve that have solved? He had the apocalypse to stop and these _issues_ will take too long. They don’t have the time for this, “This was a mistake. You’re too young, too…” he could not (more like would not) finish the sentence, making his way to the door without a glance towards her.

If he looked, he knew that he would stay no matter what. But the world needed him. Needed his brain, and the knowledge of what was to come if he could not stop it.

“Five, wait…just wait a minute!” Vanya startled out of her daze, frightened that he might leave. ( _I told you this would happen. It will always happen_ ). The first time she ever tried hard to think clearly on her pills, it did not end well for her. She first got a headache that felt like her brain was quite literally splitting apart ahead of a nosebleed if she pushed it more. This is now the second time to add to the short list. Her heart pounded willing herself to split open the cracks of the cement block around her emotions. She stood to face him. She did this to herself. _You are just ordinary, and He?_ The voice sneered; _He is beyond what you could ever dream of_. “I haven’t seen you in a really long time…and I don’t want to lose you again. That’s all.” The numbed part of her burned like the sun on a really hot day, but she felt the pressure to keep talking since he had not spatial jumped away. “And you know what?” _No nosebleeds,_ she repeated on repeat in her head to keep the voice away, “It is getting late, and…I got lessons to teach in the morning.”

Her whole body sighed with the slight relief of her not pushing on the block anymore once she said her piece. “About taking the pill-it was stupid, I-I just thought we would be having a different conversation.” She mumbled through quickly ( _you are a fool, number seven_ , the voice scoffed, _he will never love you like you do him. Can’t you see that? He is more than you will ever be_ ), “but nevertheless, you must be exhausted from todays ordeal-with time jumping and all. And honestly? It looks like you haven’t slept since you left. So.”

She left the request open.

Five blinked. That was more than she has ever said while on her meds. _Different conversation_? He questioned himself, _what other conversation_?

She moved unsure when he did not say anything for a minute, “Look you can take the bed…you appear like you need it. I’ll take the couch, just let me change, okay?” She questioned.

Her head felt like it was splitting open. She felt like someone had dug their fingers in between the two hemispheres and was trying to wrench them apart viciously. She knew that she needs to sleep it off or the nosebleeds will happen from pushing too much.

After she saw that he was not moving to leave, she quickly backed into her room to change as quickly as she could. While in there, she made sure to find some baggier clothes for Five.

Five was still standing by the door like a statue.

“I found some clothes that could be a close fit for you. I just don’t think the suit would be comfortable to sleep in.” Her voice soft so not to startle him, “Five?” Her fingers moved on their own accord to softly touch his arm, gasping it to turn him to meet her eyes. Green met brown, “Take the bed.” She gently commanded him. “You’ll not be able to lay down on the couch.”

He just dully nodded taking the clothes.

“I’m guessing you already know where the bathroom is, since you are a creature of needing to know your surroundings…which I’m sure hasn’t changed.” She tried to make a joke, but it fell short between them. Her eyes were already starting to droop from her pill (she knew she shouldn’t have taken one this late, and with a conversation Five really wanted to have…fuck her). Sighing, as she laid down on her uncomfortable couch for a restless night. _Free of nightmares_ , her mind reminded her as she closed her eyes.

The sound of her bedroom door opening, and the footsteps confused her, but she did not question it.

The door quietly closed behind him.

Five sighed withdrawn as he pulled his suit off. _Little Vanya finally has a backbone_ , he smirked.

She was right about being a creature of knowing his surroundings. He had already been in her room, but even now it still felt surreal. He honestly did not think he would ever make it back.

He plunked on the end of the bed.

_Fuck this_.

Opening the door, making his steps as light as he could towards Vanya. She had her eyes closed but not yet sleeping. Kneeling, he placed his hands under her knees and neck to lift her up.

“What’re yo’ ‘oin’?” She mumbled once she was settled into his shoulder, “We’re both not going to be able to sleep when the others in another room.” The heat from her sleepy form settled an off switch in him. She was right. He had not gotten a good rest since he left, “I’m bringing you to bed.” He mumbled into her hair, moving back to the bedroom.

“Like w’en we’ kids?”

Her pills must have taken ahold more than he thought, “Yes.” He placed her down first to which she hummed with gratitude, her arm still reaching out for him.

His heart clenched at the action, “I’m right here, Vanya. I will never leave you again.” He kissed her forehead before spatial jumping into the bed behind her. _Such a liar_ , Delores laughed lightly.

“I a’ways hat’d when yo’ d’d that.” She muttered into the pillow, hand already reaching back to take his.

He gladly gave it, shifting on his side to spoon her closely. “Yeah. That’s why I did it.” He mused at her sleepy form.

“A bell.”

“What?”

“Gettin’ ‘ou a ‘ell.” And then she sunk into sleep without another word.

Five chuckled, settling in more so. Usually since leaving the apocalypse, beds always felt too soft. But with Vanya, it felt right.

Morning light came too fast for Five’s liking (and he had no nightmares). He tightened his arm around the (painfully thin) waist of Vanya, content for the first time in a long while.

But he has things to do.

His calloused fingers rubbed the skin of her stomach, where her shirt had ridden up sometime during their sleep. She purred in response, moving closer to his warmth in her slumber.

This was _his_ Vanya.

He just could not believe it. He was back, and with Vanya laying in his arms no less.

But he really had to leave.

Kissing her neck so softly, he spatial jumped out of bed to get changed back in his suit. Once he was fully clothed, finishing with his cuff links, his eyes fell back to Vanya’s sleeping form. She looked so peaceful. He really wanted to just forget the ending of the world for one day, and crawl back into bed by her side. But the world needed him.

From his walkabout of her place, he had saw even after all these years- she kept pens, and wall chalk in every room. He wanted to laugh out loud of her thoughtfulness.

He smirked, picking up the wall chalk twirling it in his hand, then turning to the wall where she’ll notice it first when she wakes up.

_‘I need to do something._

_Do not leave._

_I will be back._

_-V’_

Once the note was done, he clapped the chalk dust off his hands with a twinkle in his bright green eyes. He disappeared in a blue haze.

Vanya was having a nightmare. One she did not have since childhood right after Five left. Five in a hellscape but now with more real horrific details.

Tortured, starving and scared.

She woke with a dazed start. Her room looked a mess. She must have left one of her windows open again last night.

“Five?” Her voiced carried, but it felt hollow with no reply back. “Of course.” She mumbled to herself ( _I told you. You’re just ordinary_ ) before getting up for another pill to start her day. She did not want to feel the burn of Five’s rejection nor of him leaving (again) right now. Her eyes went towards the smudge of white chalk on her wall. Five must have started to right another equation on her walls before thinking the better of it, she guessed.

_What a bastard_.

A knock on her door startled her. She knew it probably was not Five for he could spatial jump himself in if he (always) wanted.

“Hello?” she questioned as she opened the door to a man around her age.

“Um. Hi. I’m Leonard, you’re 9 o’clock?”


	6. Shadow of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reviewing! I do look at them, and they do make me write even more so...thank you!
> 
> This chapter is...well. I'm sorry in advance. I may not be able to write more for a couple of days, so extra long chapter. Also wow, sorry for the pain this will bring  
> yeah.  
> Have fun reading.  
> :)

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Six: Shadow of Death

_'Time doesn't wait_   
_Wait for no man_   
_So get on with it_   
_There's no escape_   
_Try if you can_   
_And, oh, this world is crazy_   
_And, oh, it blows my mind_   
_Oh, it seems like everybody's rushing_   
_Just to get to the back of the line_

_Well I walk through the valley of_   
_The shadow of death_   
_And I dance with the Devil but I got no regrets_   
_He told me next time your in town drop me a line'_

Gimme A Sign

by: Kevin Rudolf

Klaus was playing dead to the world, half naked on the couch in the sitting room.

He woke with a start with the lingering feeling ghosts coming through the other side. He had to touch his skin to make sure that he was alive and not among them himself.

Ben looked on tired from where he sat, going back to reading the pages of his book. He was nervous that Klaus was not going to wake up this time, ‘ _you know you talk in your sleep_.’ He stated in bored dullness. If he had a heartbeat still, he thinks it would be beating with anxiety of not knowing if Klaus was going to wake up (like every time Klaus gets high). He listened to his brother pant before he could hear him start crawling around, ‘ _you’re out of drugs, no point in trying to find any._ ’ He sighed and kept reading the book.

He had been watching Klaus do this dance too often. The others (other than Vanya…before the book. He even wanted Klaus to go back to her afterwards, since it always made him happy (her too, if he looked back) and less likely to use drugs. But he did not listen anyways) did not even try to reach their brother.

“Shut your piehole, Ben.” He paused in his movements to rethink the words. They were too harsh. It was his fault that he made Ben not go towards the light. He was stuck-in a sense, just like him _. Between what is living and the dead…_ , a voice that sounded just like their father told him. _Shut up!_ He screamed in his mind. “Said with love. Kiss. Kiss.” Klaus waved a brief kiss at him.

‘ _I’ve got the craziest idea…how about starting this day with a glass of milk or some eggs?_ ’ Ben placed his book back in his jacket since it seemed that Klaus was still talking to him.

“Ha. Cannot smoke eggs.” He knew what Ben was trying, and in truth; he wanted to eat something too, but he was stubbornly ignoring it. The ghost in the house were nowhere to see, yet; he felt the slow slither of goosebumps on his body from their presence. He had to get high before it became too much (he knew somewhere that it was no longer about getting away from the ghosts, but now that high of high—even tinnier part of him hates himself for letting it get this far, even if he never spoke it out) “One of these gotta be gold-plated?” He questioned out loud, taking in the old antiques in front of him. He had no longer control over his powers like when he was a child (for he rarely tried to use them), the barrier between the worlds within him was shattered long ago.

( _Red lights, a cold mausoleum, the dirty room_ )

When Five popped into the mansion, he saw Klaus go through the cabinets, eyeballing pieces like he hit the treasure trove. His eyes narrowed as he cleared his throat.

“Christ on a cracker! Five? What?” Klaus startled, turning towards his now found brother.

‘ _Thank god._ ’ Ben wanted to sigh in relief. He knew that Five was only there to see the starting of Klaus’s drug abuse, but he was the only one that still could put some fear into Klaus.

“ _You, I told you to shush_.” Klaus slanted his eyes towards the seat that held no one, from Fives’ perspective. Klaus sighed, “But little brother, it does look like you got a good night’s rest…how may that have come about? Hmm? A little help from Vanny, perhaps?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“What are you doing Klaus?” Five folded his arms, mostly to look like a parent reprimanding their kid, and a little bit from the honest truth of what Klaus said.

“Oho. Trouble in paradise, maybe bro?” Klaus questioned, leaning forward on the back of the couch, eyes ablaze with amusement, and a little self-fear, “Vanya shoot you down when you went to her?” (One thing that both Ben and him remembered was that Vanya was Five’s…)Ben’s quiet, ‘ _Jesus fuck you want to die that badly?_ ’ was by his ear this time as the bastard moved to behind him to see their brother over his shoulder. Klaus wanted to scream.

_How the fuck did he know I went to her?_ He questioned himself, before shaking his head _, its Klaus_ , “Actually no.” He smirked.

“Oh?” Klaus’s voice cracked a little, “Curious. And even more Curiouser…did she—"

Pogo comes in with a hard click of his cane on the marble floor making them both glance at the ape, “My apologies...Master Five and Master Klaus. I have in query for you.” His voice was grave, and his stare even more so.

Five raised his brow.

“Oh?” Klaus queried.

“Items from your father’s office have gone missing. In particular, an ornate box with pearl inlay.” His voice was slow, his stare lingering more on Klaus than Five.

“Seriously?” Five sighed out wanting to just go back to this morning with Vanya asleep in his arms. He felt his conscious age all over again with dealing with this Klaus. His brother has changed so much since he left, he noted. He appeared sullen, and twitchy more than when they were thirteen. How did no one see him just deteriorating away?

‘ _Really?_ ’ Ben doled out.

“You don’t say.” Klaus scratched his beard, still naked but for his underwear and without a slight care anyways.

“Any idea where it went?” Pogo questioned following a brief minute.

“No, no, no. No idea.” Klaus stuttered out, after spacing out for a moment.

‘ _Liar. Even Five doesn’t believe you_.’ Ben voiced his comment to him from his now new perch by Fives figure.

“Drop dead.” Klaus shot at his dead brother.

‘ _Low blow_.’ Ben snarked back from Five’s side.

“Would you shut up!?” Klaus almost shouted, eyes on the space by Five’s side.

Five took the lead, seeing as Klaus was trying to talk to an apparent ghost. One that did not want to leave, “If we do find it Pogo, I’ll make sure you are the first to know if it shows up.”

Pogo sighs, “Very well then.” His eyes going back to Klaus. “The contents of that box are… _priceless_. If the box does find its way back—and the contents of it within, whoever took it would be absolved of any blame or consequences.” He told them.

“Oh, well. Lucky bastard.” Klaus muttered, getting a sharp glare from Five for the comment.

“Indeed.” Pogo said pensive.

.

.

.

.

.

Five decided that he could spare a moment helping Klaus. It was the shake that was starting in his brother’s hands, but nevertheless it led him to being in a garbage bin looking through trash. _And I thought the apocalypse was bad_ , he thought bitterly, _this is worse_. “Do you know what was in the box?”

“Yeah, just some books and some loose papers, which I thought was totally weird to have locked up, but then I thought that ‘hey, this is our dad’ so I let it go.” Klaus threw out, his head almost buried in the trash.

Five paused. “What, like a journal?”

Klaus shrugged his answer.

Five wanted to rip his hair out…or strangle Klaus ( _you cannot, he is the only brother you still like left, Delores said offhandedly in his mind_ ), “Could this perhaps, perhaps not journal or book; be red?”

‘ _Oh no_.’ Ben commented from Klaus’s side, ‘ _he’s pissed. I think he may know what it was. You’re dead. Peace out._ ’ With that said, Ben faded from Klaus’s viewpoint.

_This is what all it took?_ Klaus wanted to shout after the ghost.

“Could be.”

Five’s face turned a little dark, darker than anything Klaus had seen before. And he should know; that look was mostly directed at him, “Think Number Four. Think. _Real_. hard. ‘Cuz this could fuck us even more over than the apocalypse could.” He dawdled out slowly for his brother to get his threat under those words.

Klaus blinked. _Oh fuck, he’s really mad_ , he told himself.

Five spatial jumped out of the bin, starting to pace the alleyway to mutter to himself. “I cannot believe you just threw a possible _locked_ journal away like that! Do you know what it could possibly be, Klaus? _The_ Journal. **_DAD’s JOURNAL_**. The one he wrote _every_ little thing about us in. The one he was never without.” His temper was flaring, and he knew it as his hand swiped once again through his hair. He could only imagine what their father wrote.

“I’m sorry okay?” Klaus sighed tiredly as he crawled out of the garbage, “I didn’t know what could’ve been in the box.”

“It was _locked_ in the box for a reason, or were you too doped to realize it could’ve been for a reason?” Five needed to think, but again he had to ask, “Was the book red, Number Four. **RED**.”

“Uhh.” Klaus scratched the back of his ear, “I’m colorblind?”

Five rubbed the crease in between his brow. Between Vanya and Klaus, the Armageddon should just happen at this point in his mind. The eye in his pocket weighted heavily as a reminder. _No_ ; stead fasted to remind himself, _I need to stop it to save my family so we can work these issues out afterwards_. He jumped away before Klaus can give another comment.

He was wasting too much time on stuff that was not important compared to the overhang of the end of everything.

* * *

Vanya finished her lesson with Leonard, in a quick numbed ease. The man himself was nothing special (from what she could try to remember anyways) that would want her to take his interest of wanting to know her seriously enough, even if she left the attendance to a concert later tonight, open.

Besides, she had more matters to attend to.

She looked for Five at the mansion, exploring around his usual thinking spots but found nothing but cobwebs. ( _god why is it always the mansion she must go to?)_ She finally went to his room, but again found it empty, her heart beating softly like butterfly wings on her caged chest. _Did she make him up again?_ She pondered as she was making her way down to leave. She is not really surprised that she overhears Allison on the phone. _Just walk away…don’t listen_ , she had to remind herself. But she wanted to at least try and be something to her siblings…even if they did not want her to be. “Are you okay?” She quietly asked, afraid of retribution from her sibling.

“Yeah.” Allison sighed defeated. She knew she made a mistake (over, over and over again) with Claire.

Vanya wondered if she should try and cheer her up. That’s what siblings do right? “Well, I’ve never met your ex-husband but...he sounds like an asshole.” She said plainly.

“That’s one word for him.” Allison gave a deprived half laugh; which Vanya took as a good sign.

“You know what? Your probably better off here.” _Too much_ , her thought shot out, _wrong words. Wrong words,_ those two words on repeat.

Allison gave her a dark look, “No, I’m definitely better off with where my daughter is.”

“Of course, sorry. Um…” _Yes, cuz apologizing is all your good at. You’re just ordinary in front of extraordinary,_ her darker thoughts came out. She was stunned, she only took one pill and that was this morning…

“If I wanted advice, Vanya—no offense—it wouldn’t be coming from you.” Allison said almost disgusted as she made her stance ready for a fight.

A gesture, Vanya thinks Allison did not even realize she was doing, “What is that supposed to mean?” Vanya’s already deep crater of a soul, grew. She knew where this was going, and she was too stupid to not leave some relationships lie in the ground where they were already dead and buried.

“You don’t have a child…hell, I’m sure you’ve never been in a real relationship.”

“That’s not true.” At least from what she remembers, its still very much a blur from the time she left the Academy. _Too many pills, got to keep you, down right? Father always did with us,_ Her thoughts came again.

“So, you know what it’s like to love someone like this?” Yes, she does; but she was never going to let Allison in on that, “Like when you are apart from her, you can’t breathe? Like you would—you would actually die...to know that she’s okay and happy.” Allison finally paused in her over dramatic way that makes her a famous actress, “I mean you separate yourself from everyone and everything. You always had.”

Vanya was stunned.

Did they really think she had a choice not to be? That it was all up to her to play with them or not? That there was not a tight right hand on her shoulder holding her in place as the others played and grew up together, connecting? Her mind swirled with thoughts, and memories, “Because dad made me.” Her voice came out tight.

“Did dad make you write that book about us, too? (Vanya hates that she was right, as she tries not to flinch. The fucking book will always be in the middle of whatever sibling relationship her and Allison would ever have. She knew she should have just left, fucking **LEFT** ) You’re an adult, Vanya. You can’t keep blaming your problems on anyone else…but yourself.”

Vanya heard her walking away in echoes, her already fractured insides had finally shattered to beyond breaking point. In it, she no longer cared about her siblings. _The whole world could burn for all I care_ , she thought darkly. Her thoughts drifted to Five somewhere out there, but her heart was too bruised and fractured by the last push, that she did not care anymore.

Allison was right, enough was enough.

Maybe she could see a concert after all.

* * *

Five waits for the doctor, looking out over the skyline of the city. The city still shined in beauty that Five had reminisced in the apocalypse. 

“Uh, can I help you?” A gentleman came out from one of the offices.

“I need to know who this belongs to.” Five told him short and sweet. He needed to get this over with, and then he can kill the man responsible for the end of the world. Then ask him questions.

“Where did you find that?” The man questioned, seeing the eye in Five’s hand.

“I work for the FBI. Found it at one of my crime scenes, I’m curious as to why. Must’ve just…,” Five clicks his tongue, “…popped out. I wanna return it to its rightful owner and question him about his whereabouts.” _After you kill him, right my love?_ Delores purred. His hand twitched.

“What a thoughtful gesture.” His receptionist says with a sly flirtatious smile.

_What an idiot, have you never seen a crime show?_ “Yeah, look up the name for me, will ya?” He flashed his most charming smile in hopes it would be that quick to get what he needed.

The man jumped almost in between them, “I’m sorry, but patient records are strictly confidential, especially without a warrant.” _Shit_ , “But I could take that eye off your hand to give it to its owner.”

“Yeah, you’re not touching this eye.” He directed, “No you listen to me asshole.” All jokes and playfulness moved aside, “I’ve come a long way through some shit your pea brain couldn’t even comprehend, so just give me the information I need, and I’ll be on my merry way,” He paused seeing the man gulp, “or I’m gonna put your head through that dam wall.” He finished cheerfully, “and don’t even bother with the security. I took care of them.” His smile was sharp like knives with a charming dimple.

Shaking, the man did what he was told as he went over the files without another complaint, “Huh, that’s strange.”

“What?” Five barked.

“Uh, the eye. It hasn’t been purchased yet.” The man saw Five’s eyes darkening once again to a darker green, “Well, uh, our logs say that the eye with that serial number…hasn’t been even manufactured yet. Where did you get that eye?” the doctor questioned him.

Five could only sigh, of course.

Of

**_ FUCKING _ **

course.

.

.

.

.

.

Five decided to walk.

It was a colder night than most spring nights are at this time of year, but it felt right to him. The air around him hardening with the realization that he may _not_ be able to stop the impending doom. His heart clenched; he was going to be stuck in this doom this time too.

There was only one person he wanted to see.

_Vanya._

So, he jumped, almost in a panic that instead of ending in her apartment, he will pop into the ash and fallen world. His breath came quickly surveying the place, with not a single sign of Vanya or where she had gone.

_Where the fuck was she?_

So, he sat down the chair by the open window (why the fuck is that window left open, Vanya?) and put his head in his hands. He, for the first time traveling back, felt small and incomparable to the world around him. His one rock that usually kept him grounded on Earth and not in the maniacal mathematics was not here. He clenched his jaw, tightening his fingers in his hair, which he is sure is a mess but did not give in to write the numbers down. He was not going to, until he had someone to bring him back if it went too out of hand.

He waited.

And waited.

Watching the time tick, as a time traveler himself could do nothing. Why would she leave the apartment when he told her not to? He said he would be back, did he not?

Did she not care?

A little before 2 in the morning he heard the soft footsteps of Vanya, though a little bit more shuffling with them this time. _She’s drunk?_

She opens the apartment clumsily.

“Shit. Five you scared me.” She laughed; eyes glazed from a different form of high this time. But he could see something had triggered her to drink. And drink a lot. He watched in silence as she sighed with an airy weightlessness. She carelessly flung her shoes off before tossing her jacket onto the floor before flinging herself over the couch to grace him with a loopey smile.

She did not even close the door which was still wide open.

He, like a predator in a cage, carefully got up from his seat to close the door with a controlled rage from not knowing where she was. He was beyond concerned, “Where. Have. You. Been.” He bites meticulously out, eye on the shut door in front of him. He knew if he turned, he would yell, and he did not want that right now.

His head was pounding with numbers and worries, on top of the fears of the Armageddon.

She giggled, “Went out. Five, come here.” He knew her arms were probably opened to welcome him into her warmth.

He did not go into it.

“Just answer my question, please.” He asked, tiredness falling into his tone.

She sighed hurt, “Went out with this guy, Leonard. He asked me out I guess when we finished practice today. He’s…nice I guess.” She finished with a mumble. He felt, more than heard her jump to kneel on the couch to look over at him, “But it was a good concert to not miss. It was fun.” His back warmed with the feeling of her smile on it.

His heart stampeded in his chest; eyes gone wide. _She went out with a guy?_ He thought, _no she would not, she knows she’s mine_. ( _But you left her_ , a cheerful Delores harked back at him, _again and again_ , she sung) He narrowed his eyes at the flaking door, “I asked you not to leave. I left a note for you this morning.” God, was it only this morning he was taking in her warmth next to him?

“No, you didn’t.” She sung out twirling in her position to lay her head on the back of the couch to look up at him.

That made him turn around, “Yes, I _did_ Vanya. I used the wall chalk that you kept by your bedside to write on the wall next to where you were facing this morning.” With that said, he marched into the bedroom, looking at the place where the note was left. All that remained to his note was a smudged white spot, and no words were presentable. He stared, and stared at the spot, until he heard Vanya coming up behind him, “I left it right there.” His words were hallowed out of his mouth. He was sure that he left a note, didn’t he? His head was starting to pound, throb with knowledge.

Vanya hummed behind him, before moving to place herself in front of his directed stare. “Maybe dad was right, and time travel messed with your mind? Like you thought you wrote a note, but you just left a smudged mess instead?” She questioned surprisingly sounding sober.

_No_ , he thought, _I know I did leave a note._ He remembers looking back at Vanya’s sleeping form all gleefully aware that she would tease him about it later _. I’m not crazy, I’m not._

_Are you sure, my love?_ Delores commented.

“I’m not crazy, Vanya. I did write a note for you.”

She only hummed in response.

“But you don’t believe me, do you?” He realized after a moment of her also looking at the smudged white chalk.

“Five, I do—”

He didn’t even let her finish as he spatial jumped out of her apartment.

( _See? What did I say, my love. You always leave_ )

* * *

Five walked with purpose, to the closed department store opening, then teleported into the store. It seemed so surreal from him to be in this place, all (mostly) organized. The blue hue of safety lights the only thing lighting his way as he made his way through the place, looking…searching.

The side of his lip tugged with an almost smile once he did find what he was looking for. He sighed, tired of the weight of knowledge that was thrusted upon him at such as young age.

“Hey, Delores.”


	7. Dead Girl Walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews!! 
> 
> This chapter is...well. Just read and kill me later okay?  
> enjoy!

**The Rockrose and the Thristle**

Chapter Seven: Dead Girl Walking

 _"Come on! Tonight I'm yours_  
 _I'm your dead girl walkin'_ "

Dead Girl Walking

From: Heathers: The Musical

“—believe you.”

Well that was one way to sober Vanya completely than she already was.

He just vanished before she could even finish the sentence. It made her pause. This was not her Five, not really. The Five she knew at least would wait until she finished her thoughts before just leaving without a preemptive gesture…or so her memories told her (maybe he was always this way with her? Maybe she just glossed over it with her crush at the time?).

She did go out, but she did not really enjoy that much as she let on to Five. Leonard was…even more boring than she could ever be on a bad day (at least she thinks) but he did show _real_ interest in her. He even asked her out on more dates, which she brushed off saying that she had someone at home. A small part of her wanted to see if he could get jealous still. But he just gave her a solid mask that was impregnable.

With a deep sigh, then another longer one, she knew the tears would not fall this time as she shoved them down and back. Into a corner that had now been label things to never cry over...Five being the biggest one.

 _He leaves, that is what he does. You will never be_ his _, or anyones’ for that matter…you’re just ordinary like father had always said,_ the voice was back. It scared her a little that she knows that she had only one of her pills early this morning. _Look at what_ h _e made you…a dead girl walking, waiting for him to return. Use what he made of you to get back the life that you wasted already. …if he does not care, then why should you? You deserve better than what they have been shoving at you like a worn bone._

Her eyes drifted to her mirror over the dresser. Her eyes were dark and puffy (even if she did not cry) but they were sharper, and fierce. It had taken her years to stare at herself in the eyes, but now? She was using this tactic to give herself the courage to do something stupid.

‘ _What if Five finds—’_ She countered.

 _He will not, he already left. What is the point of waiting for something that had not and never will come to fruition?_ The voice darkly pointed out.

She looked away from her mirror image, ‘ _He’ll kill me._ ’ Her hands laying on the dresser in front of it. _He already has,_ the voice floated around her _._ She could (should) wait for Five, then have a truthful conversation that has been needed to be said for more than a decade…or…her eyes floated back to the reflection, determined. She wanted to feel something real for once. Her hand went into one of the top drawers to grab some lingerie (ones that she only really had to amuse herself with), and a hidden pill bottle. She took two this time ( _too keep the voice away_ , she told herself) and put on her nicest lingerie, then her coat.

 _That’s my girl_ , the voice said through a nonexistence smirk.

She walked out of her apartment in an already fog for what was to come, knowing that was going to make or break her.

It surprised her that it did not take her longer to reach his door. She knocked. Her hazed thoughts, wanted to comment that it was passed 3 in the morning, but she ignored it. Plus, she could see a light on anyways.

The door opened, he asked, “Vanya? Why are you—”

“I lied.” Was her simple statement, before she was connecting their lips together. It felt wrong, more wrong than she has ever felt (probably because she knows that Five is somewhere in the city doing GOD knows what). But the pills numbed the worst of it, as she pushed him into his own home, “Let’s not talk, okay?” She mumbled before she dropped her coat.

The only next thing (the only thing) she remembers is his smirk then they were heading towards the stairs.

* * *

It was a gloomy start to the morning (It was not cloudy just a couple of minutes ago) as Ben watched from the fire escape. Once again. He had been staring at Klaus going through the same trash for more than a day, and there was still no sign of Dad’s journal. He thought his brother would have given up by now, but no. ‘ _Can we go see a movie or something?_ ’ Ben asked, lazily from his perch. ‘ _Or the ocean_.’

“Shut up.” Was Klaus’s response from the trash bin below. He paused in his search as their brother came down the ladder with a large bag on his back, “Hey, you know there are easier ways out of the house, buddy?” Klaus told him. Even to Klaus, his brother looked like he got no sleep last night, and the air around him was darker than ever _. Shit, no. Did something happen with Vanya?_ _No. if there was the whole world would know_.

“This one involved the least amount of talking. Or so I thought.” Five commented back, not even looking his way.

“Hey, hey… so I still haven’t found Dad’s—whatever yet, but—” Klaus rambled, hoping that his brother would at least stay for a moment to talk. None of the others ( _Vanya_ , his brain prompted him) had wanted to talk with him in a real long time. He knew that he pissed off Five yesterday, but todays a new day and all that jazz, right?

“Sorry, no can do. I’m busy myself with a mission.” As he kept walking away, “I am done with your drug habit Klaus, but for now it’s on the side burner. I really must go.” He threw the duffle bag into the van, then go in himself.

“You don’t-I-maybe I just wanna hang out with my brother. ( _Hey!_ Ben reminded him) Not you,” He pointed the statement to Bens direction. Then turning to the ridged back of Five’s form, “I wanted to talk about you and Vanya! Five! Don’t forget: I love you! Even if you can’t love yourself!” Klaus called out after him, as he watched the van pull away.

* * *

So, Five surveillance the medical building entrance. He even pondered if this was healthy. _Shit, Delores!_ “Sorry about leaving you in there for so long Delores.” He told the mannequin doll as he took her out of the duffle bag. After last night’s fiasco at the department store, he feared losing Delores again. He was even so scared that he did not go back to Vanya’s (though some part of him wished he did not leave on a bad note) in case Cha-Cha and Hazel found him there. _Are you drunk?_ , “No, I’m not drunk. I’m working.” He told her with a flex of his jaw. He knew this was more likely to end in an argument. _Is this about the stupid eye thing again? Didn’t you say that it was not sold yet?_ “Yes, it’s about the eye thing. This is the place it was made…or…will be made…” _You need to see Vanya. You know you’ll feel better afterwards, and even I was surprised when you showed back up for me_ , “Don’t bring her up right now.” He muttered to her and got no more responses.

“We just have to wait.”

Outside the windshield, people were going about their lives, like nothing was about to change their world. He wanted to pity them, but the apocalypse has not even happened yet. So how can he feel pity from something that he was trying to stop from occurring in the first place?

Blue hue from the sky turned in off pale yellow slowly. The fluttering of ash confused him for a moment, as he prepared for the outside. His heart thundered in his chest, no. It can’t be. The rubble was all around him once again. Alone. Alone. Alone.

Five.

_Five?_

**FIVE.**

He screamed.

“FIVE!”

He was shaken from his daymare still sitting in the van. His breath still in pants as he tried to reorganize his thoughts while taking in the form of Luther in the passenger seat. Of all the brothers… “You should be…how did you find me?”

His brother turned to look in the back where one Klaus sat holding Delores. It made his skin crawl, “Hey, baby. Hey, a little privacy, guys. We’re really hitting it off back here.”

“Get out!” Five almost screeched at his brothers, throwing an empty soda can right at Klaus in the back, “You can’t be here! I’m in the middle of something.”

“Any luck on your important mission…or for that matter, Vanya perhaps?” Klaus asked, squirming to put his body in between the two front seats.

“No.” Five muttered, hoping that Luther did not let onto what ever Klaus was saying. There were times in their childhood that Luther was a tattletale on anyone and everyone to Father. Including if they had a crush on someone. Hence, he kept most of his emotions and feeling towards everyone and anyone hidden.

“What’s he talkin’ about?” Luther had caught on _. Shit_.

“Does it matter? It’s Klaus.” Five justified prior to switching gears with a sigh, “What do you want, Luther?”

“Uh, so Grace may have had somethin’ to do with dads’ death. I need you to come back to the academy, okay? It’s important.” Luther explained. So that was why he was here, interesting but still not important enough to put the apocalypse on hold once again for. They only had six days left.

“’It’s important.’ You have _no_ concept of what’s important.” Five shot back, eyes going a shade darker staring out to the building in front of him.

“Hey! Children, we all need to get along.” Klaus tried to referee. But Luther gave him a stern look, and told him to leave, “What I—What? I need an excuse to hang out with my charming family?” Klaus was hurt. Did they not want him around that much?

“No, its just we’re having a very serious conversation—” Luther attempted to clarify.

“So, you think I’m incapable of being serious is that it? Is that what you’re saying?”

Five grinned at Klaus. He knew he was trying to lighten up the mood, but it was time for big grownups to talk, “Luther’s right, Klaus, you get out. Try to find that book you were talking about this morning.” He told his brother softly as he could. Surprisingly, his brother understood the simple message underneath and climbed out of the van as carefully (not at all, it was like he was a bull in a china shop) as he could, leaving the remaining brothers alone.

Five wanted to laugh, for Klaus would listen to his command but not Luther’s. Hilarious, but not the right time to point it out, “What?” He questioned Luther when the bigger man had sat silently in his seat for a moment too long.

“What’re you up to, Five?”

Five had to roll his eyes, always the ‘leader’ of the group. He was slightly surprised that he did not bring up the Vanya comment yet, “You wouldn’t understand.” He wanted to leave it at that, yet his brother had other plans.

“Well, last time I checked, I’m still the leader of this family.”

Five had to snort at that one. “Well, last time I checked, I’m 28 years older than you.” Shit, he did not mean to say that out loud. It was not like they would believe him when he would say he was 58…he did not even look a day over thirty like the rest of them.

“You know what your problem is?”

“Really hoping you’ll tell me.” Five snarked back.

“You think you’re better than us. You always have. Even when we were kids. But the honest truth is, you’re just as messed up as the rest of us…probably even more so.” Luther tried to shift in his seat, but could not because of his upper body, “We’re all you have…and you know it.”

Five clenched his jaw, “I don’t think that I’m better than you, Number One. I _know_ I am. I’ve done unimaginable things, things you couldn’t even comprehend with your small brain.”

Luther just scoffed at the annotation.

“Just to get back here and save you all.” (‘or one person’ it sounded like under Luther’s breath) A loud bell went off as Klaus went by them running with stolen goods no doubt. This time Five did smirk a little, “Now though, I’m starting to wonder if that was the wisest decision.”

* * *

Vanya stood outside of Leonard’s workshop, just staring through the windows. She had not only made her life even more awkward she knew shouldn’t’ve listened to her own dark thoughts. She should have drowned herself in pills (Like so many nights prior to fall asleep with no awful nightmares) … but she had thought at the time doing that was counterproductive as to not waste a perfectively good early morning, right? _Talk about walks of shame_ , she thought. Five was not even in her apartment waiting for her, when she had finally dragged herself home once again _. Maybe this one is on her_ , she contemplated.

Her eyes drifted towards Leonard, who was making his way down the street. She was not even sure why she was standing in the middle of the sidewalk in front of his small antique store, “Hey, finally thinking of seeing the old stuff I got?”

She wanted to flinch, but when she had gotten back to her apartment, she had taken another sullen pill to dose emotions out of her destroyed soul (she couldn’t find the ones that were in her coat, but they must have dropped out on her travels last night), “These are beautiful.” She states robotically. That’s what your supposed to say even when the things they show you are strange or beyond ugly, right? That’s just manners.

She followed him to the back of his shop, though a little hesitant, “My imagination was my escape, and clearly I’ve never grew up.”

She eyes cased the shelves of wooden figures, “which one is your favorite?” She inquired, but not all really there in the moment. Her mind was adrift with thinking about what Five was doing, and if he ate, or slept recently.

He said something, then chuckled at his own supposed joke to which Vanya also replied in kind. He had paused when looking at her, before deciding, “But there is something I want you to see.” Oh boy. “So I may of…stayed up while you slept and made this.”

He hands her a figurine of a violinist, that kind of looked like her. Her skin warmed and simmered, at the plain meaning right in front of her, “Wow. It’s beautiful.” It might be a little creepy if she was in the right frame of mind. She probably would have fled, but her bruised and battered soul had still craved attention, soaking up the feeling of having been seen in so long.

“Thankyou. Take it. I made it for you.” She wanted to protest, Five would literally kill— _would he though? You have not seen him since he jumped away from you_ , the voice broke through. Leonard frigidly smiled at her (one she did not see from still staring at the little object in her hand), “You inspire me.” He told her proudly.

“This is so bizarre. We’ve known each other for…two days?” She asked him as they finally mind there way out of his shop.

“Hey. I know...that last night…and all. But I was wondering if you would want to have dinner with me tonight?” He asked.

He was normal. Normal enough to go with her ordinariness. She did not need Five. He was too high on being ‘extra’, she was not going to waste this probably only opportunity, “I’d like that.” She gave him a soft smile, that made him sigh in relief, but her eyes caught someone, “Allison?” She asked her sister confused. The last time she saw her sister was when she basically called her out. Remembering her manners, “oh right, uh…Leonard, this is my sister Allison.”

“Wow. Vanya you didn’t tell me your sister was a movie star.” She gave a stale forced smile this time. Every-fucking-time, “You were in that Umbrella thing to, right?” He turned back to her, “But you weren’t, were you?” he questioned more of himself, as if trying to remember if there was another girl in the Academy.

Vanya shrunk into herself a little, “No, uh…I was sort of the fifth Beatle of the family so…”

“Never did like the Beatles. More of a stones type of guy.” A normal guy trying to make her feel better, she could work with that.

“Uh. Um, I am sorry to interrupt, but, uh… could you come back to the house? Family meeting.” Allison interrupted, her eyes going between them both. _Five will not like this_ , Allison thought to herself.

“And you guys want me there?” Vanya countered her, shocked.

“Of course. Its…mom.”

Vanya sighed heavily. Even if she had written most of her siblings off, her heart still cared like a dead-beat song, “I’m so sorry.” She told Leonard.

“Hey, don’t be. We’ll do a rain check on dinner, later.” He told her kindly, walking back to his shop to open it once again.

“Who’s the guy?” Allison tried to not sound like she was questioning Vanya, but Vanya still caught on even on her pills.

“Just a friend.” She kept her response airy, not to lead to another awful conversation it would lead to some way.

“Friend?” Allison muttered, “Does Five know?” The question was out of her mouth before she could stop herself, “Shit, sorry that was rude.” She tagged on when she saw Vanya’s stance shifted tighter. _So, Five doesn’t know, something she’ll have to tell their stupid brother about before he loses his chance_. “I also wanted to apologize about yesterday…I shouldn’t have said those things to you. I was angry, mostly at my ex-husband and I took it out on you.” She sighed, “I’m not good at the whole sister thing.”

“Yeah, I hadn’t noticed.” Vanya threw out. She had to take her shots when she could.

Allison thought she was mocking her, going with the dramatic flair, “Wow. Tell me how you really feel.”

“Maybe I will.” Vanya deadpanned, but was answered with a harsh chuckle from her sister.

* * *

“Do you really think Mom would hurt dad?” Why did it feel like every time she was back in this house, she felt like she was still Number Seven? She thought at least Five would be here, since being a family meeting and all, but not even a glimpse of him. _All for the best,_ the voice rang out, _what’s the point to him even being in the same time if he doesn’t want to spend it with you?_

“Well you’ve been gone a long time, Vanya. You don’t really know her anymore. And no, I don’t need a report to see with my own eyes.” Luther says as he, again, shows the tape.

Vanya watched the tapes, eyes focused but not focused enough to notice anything amiss on the tape. Her head was starting to pound, wishing she could fall asleep. Yet, she did not think her siblings would take kind of her falling asleep when having a discussion (i.e. fight) about what to do with Mom. Then something clicked in her mind, stepping in between Luther and Diego before they could throw down, “Hey. Calm down. Look, I know Dad was not exactly an open book. But I do remember one thing he said. Mom was, well, designed to be a caretaker, but…also as a protector.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Allison blurted out, confused.

She wishes Five was here, at least he would understand it quicker. But they still were a family, right? Families got to stick together, “She was programmed to intervene if someone’s life was in jeopardy.” She was not going to ever tell them how much she’s had of firsthand experience of that side of their mother. Then Luther had to start talking about shutting Grace off, and it set Deigo into a fury. Vanya just watched in a vague state, not wanting to really get involved. From her side, Klaus was shooting her questionable stares, every now and then. Ones she was stubbornly ignoring of rhte sake of the last of her sanity. Then they were turning to her, “I—I-I don’t…”

“She’s right, she shouldn’t get a vote, she’s really not about of the Academy.” Deigo sneered.

Alright fuck this, “I was gonna say that I agree with you.” She told him sternly, making Deigo’s eyes widen in shock before he almost turned giddy, “Okay. She should get a vote. What about you, stoner boy?” He asked, turning towards Klaus. But Klaus was still staring at Vanya, “Oh, what? You need my help now?”

“What’s it gonna be, Klaus?” Luther questioned.

“I’m with Diego because screw you! And if Ben were here, he would agree with me.” ‘ _No, I wouldn’t_ ,’ Ben said plainly from his perch behind Vanya, to which Klaus just hissed at.

“So that three, to two.” Diego comments proudly.

“Vote’s not final yet. Five’s not here. The whole family must vote. We owe each other that much.” Allison put down the final word.

“She’s right we should wait.” Vanya told Diego, so he would not start another fight. The others quickly left the room, as if done with the obligations of being together in the same place. She watched as Diego went to their mother that overheard them talking about her, _shit._

When their mother finally walked off, Vanya when to Diego, “Do you ever wonder…all those moments with Mom, the things she said. Like, was it her, or was it really Dad?” She questioned out loud. There were still somedays that Grace still freaked her out.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, he constructed her. And he programmed her to be a mom, to be our mom. Yet sometimes when I look at her, all I can see…is him.” Her mind was starting to drift, but she needed to at least help her sibling in some way.

“Maybe that was true at first, but she evolved.”

“Well, how do you know?” She questioned. This felt like the first real conversation they have had since they were kids. It felt almost surreal to her.

“Because Dad only ever loved himself.” Diego prompted her, before he too left the room.

She takes another pill, sighing to herself. She should just go home, but she didn’t trust herself to make it that far. So, her feet carried up the grand stairs and into the one bedroom where no one would disturb her.

Fives.

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The oncoming fight happened so quickly that Vanya’s already dumb brain couldn’t follow it. There was shouting, and crashes all over the mansion. She herself, somehow ended up in the fray with a cut to the side of her head. Yet, the pain did not register as she stared down at the broken chandelier, “Did you know?” She asked Allison.

What had their Father do to Luther?

Sometimes the best answers are left for a more appropriate time. So, she pushed forward. They have all seen their fair shares of bad people, maybe they looked familiar? “Who were those people?”

“I don’t know. But we are lucky to be alive. You sure you’re okay?” Allison asked almost concerned for her safety. Her eyes turned towards their brother who was pacing, “Diego?” Allison called out.

“What is she still doing here?” Vanya kept her mouth shut. She knew that she should not have come. House of true hells that she came into willingly like a hungry dog for food. “You could’ve been killed. Or gotten any of us killed. She is a liability.” He turned to Allison for backup.

Allison apparently didn’t disagree, “I think what he’s trying to say is that this kind of stuff is dangerous. You’re just—"

 _Ordinary_. That _fucking_ word will not come out of her mouth as Vanya cut her off, “Not like you, got it.” She stood up, almost waved on her feet, but kept stayed standing. They did not comment on it. She felt like all they wanted from her was everything she could gave. She felt hollowed more than ever. Dead girl walking is right. She guesses she would have to thank her siblings for what she is going to next.

“No, that’s not what I—” Allison’s voiced carried her out into the hallway to the door, it echoed off the hallowed halls (just like her), “Vanya, wait.”

But Vanya did not. Screw this family. Every time. Every-fucking-time. She lets them in, they pull this shit. She wanted to laugh, cry, SCREAM, but her pills pushed and locked them down tightly within her. _Fine, they want it that way, well…I will be ordinary. She promised them in her head, I will not answer the phone, nor the doors when you call._

 _That’s my girl. Why waste your time on the dull when your already extraordinary in your own right?_ The voice was there for her more than her own family. If that does not say something, she did not know what would have.

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She knew she should not go back to Leonard’s place, especially after the other night. Yet, she could not let herself into her small empty apartment again, with the wishful thinking that Five would be waiting her there, with either a smirk or a sullen frown. At this point she was not sure which one she preferred.

The rain poured down on her, soaking her through to the bone, but she did not want to call a cab. She needed to walk and walked she did. His place was much farther from hers, but she did not care.

She knocked on the door, just like the other night, but this time for a completely different reasoning in mind.

Leonard opened the door, a smile slow on his face, “Vanya.” He took in her cut on the forehead, “Oh my god, you’re bleeding, and really wet.” She just stared at him for a moment, “What happened?”

“Sorry, I…I didn’t know where else to go.” She dulled out. She definitely had a better place to go, like her own apartment, but she knew she would be alone again, with her thoughts as company. She did not want to know what would happen.

“Hey, okay, come in.” He gently tugged her inside, the door swinging shut behind them soundly.


	8. Old Familiar Sting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So very long chapter. I just couldn't break into two chapters, and it has a better cliffhanger anyways this way!
> 
> So...the angst has already begun.  
> Be warned?  
> Have fun reading, sorry for the tears

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Eight: Old Familiar Sting

_"The needle tears a hole_

_The old familiar sting_

_Try to kill it all away_

_But I remember everything"_

Hurt Cover

by: Johnny Cash

“You…want to talk about it?” Leonard started softly. They had been sitting in his living room, both lost in their own thoughts for ticks on the old grandfather clock in the corner. The mug that he gave her was still clenched in her hands, the rising steam from it had long since faded. He had given her a change of clothing (a dark blue tee-shirt, and some old grey tight pants), as he put her stuff in the dryer; they were completely soaked through.

Vanya bit her lip, not looking up. On her way here—more like an afterthought, she noticed that she only had two more pills left. She needed her refill, but it was too late to turn back. Her bones felt like they were being filled with dust, grainy and heavy. The sounds around her had almost amplified since she had first sat on Leonard’s old couch. Yet, she did not move to go…what would be the point of taking a pill now? Would it not prove their point that she was just nothing, needing to be controlled and held down—just like her voice had stated? She knew if they had ever found out that she was skipping pills (instead of abusing them like candy) Father would have freaked out. Yet, he is dead…and the others do not care.

What is the point of taking them anymore?

They kicked her out of the only place she grew up in without a shimmering thought that…

“You know when you’re in a--- _rough_ …situation that you find yourself…over, over and over again…but never trying anything to stop it?” She started to explain, as her thoughts raced. She felt her emotions wobble within her, coming alive the more she spoke. It flared in the darkness of her soul, scorching the gloom within, a glow almost too blinding. A feeling she had not felt in a while…it felt good, “Then one day, its’ like---something **_clicked_** …or-r fell into…or out of…place and you know your way out of the situation you’ve always found yourself in and… and you _go_!” She paused, to clear her throat, “But then, halfway out of the _never-ending_ repeating cycle…a-a---a small part of you doesn’t want to leave the comfort of that horrible situation, so now…you’re in limbo, not knowing what to do?” her voice lingered, the rain outside pattered the windows fiercely, “Do you leave, or do you… _stay_?” she questioned him, her eyes filling with unshed tears.

Father’s words still present of her ordinariness mumbled and mixed with the dark ones, taunting each other in her head.

He said nothing for a moment, “I think I understand.” He softly spoke, coming to sit by her. A little too close in this type of situation she felt like, but her body was craving some type of contact too, “d-did your siblings hurt you?” He questioned, placing a (wrong size) hand over her shoulders to pull her in. It felt cold on her humming skin, but she did not shrug it off.

For the first time in forever, her dam in her harden chest broke away, as a lightning strike caused the power to go out. She laughed, and laughed, until it puttered away, “depends on your definition, I guess.” Her voiced carried around the unlit room.

“Well,” he paused as if trying to phrase it right, “They didn’t hurt you physically, right?”

_Is there really a difference?_ the voice had wanted to speak. But she held firm on that statement, “No, just…a couple of bad guys came into the mansion…looking for,” her voice couldn’t speak his name, “ _one_ of my brothers. He wasn’t there of course, but they did some damage.” She summed up the event, short and sweet. “Then my siblings, they told me…to leave…I guess...for my _protection_. But it felt more like they were done dealing with me. I mean, it always felt like that when I talk to them.”

“Aren’t they supposed to protect people?” he commented, confused. She felt his hand slowly went to her wound on her head, she winced. The lightning outside flashed again, turning the power on with a flicker, “From where I’m sitting, they’re not really good at their job. They told you to leave, but what if you had a concussion or those bad guys came after you instead, while you were alone?”

She nodded to agree with his assessment. They could have wakened up in the morning, thinking she just went home ( _would they care?_ ) and not think that she was taken, “Yeah. I don’t think they care all that much.” Turning in her seat to face him, ignoring how close his face was, a watery titter left her, “You know when I was a kid…I felt like I had to apologize for even being born. Because…because…”

“You weren’t like them.” He finished for her, their eyes connecting over the sentiment.

Her voice gave out barely a whisper, “Yeah. How did you know?”

He shifted, pulling them both to lean against the back of the couch, “Because I’ve felt the same. My father…was not always a good man, if you could guess.” He chuckled heartlessly, “I-I just know where your coming from is all.”

“…can I stay the night?”

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Vanya awoke to a whistle being blown from the kitchen, “I’m sorry, I must have fallen asleep last night after our talk.” She called out in a raspy voice, her eyes drifting to the kitchen when Leonard now stood with a cup in his hand. _It looks like I’ll forever be trapped in this situation_ , her mind spat out as she went to her usual pocket to check for her pill bottle. She may have thought last night that it was a good idea to not take them anymore, but today was a new day. Her head felt the clearest it has been in a while, but her skin felt like it was vibrating to its own tune. The feeling kind of scared her a little, getting up to check her other coat pockets.

“It’s okay. You were exhausted. I would’ve let you sleep all day as well, but…” Leonard’s voice fell away, her body remembering the time.

“Rehearsal!” Her eyes shot wide, quickly turning back to him.

He nodded his head, “Rehearsal.”

Her fingers dug quickly into her jacket pocket once again, but finding no bottle…did her memory fail her again? Did she already take the last of her pills? “ _Shit_.” Leonard questioned her with a tilt of his head at her, “I thought I had enough of my medication before I could go home tonight, but I guess I didn’t. My refill’s at home.” She explained. Her mind shouted at her with clear thoughts of what could possibly happen; panic began to rise within her blooming chest.

“So, stop by on your way.”

It would have been easy for her to do but, “No, there’s no time.” As she looked at her watch. Shit, she didn’t even have time to change into her own clothes again, “It’s just that I need them for my nerves. I have been taking them since I was a kid. They help calm me down.” _More like drown you out,_ a voice coiled.

“For one day, I think you’ll be fine.” Leonard says calmly to her rising still panic.

Yet, the sense finally faded as if the waves were being swept back into the sea. This is what she wanted to do anyways, right? Those pills were a crutch, just as all the hubris’ her family still clung to, “Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry.”

He stopped her, “Hey, let’s make a deal. Around me, you do not have to apologize for just existing. It is a beautiful day. Come on, I’ll walk you to rehearsal.” He said with an easy smile already grabbing his coat.

“Is it on your way?” She was confused. Wasn’t his shop the opposite way?

“Oh, not at all.” He smiled again, making her smile in return.

_If it were Five, he would have_ —no, her brain shut down as they made their way out to the early morning streets. Not a lot of walkers were out yet, thank god. She watched for a moment the people walking by them, “Thank you for listening last night. And I’m sorry that I…well. You know.” She felt blush arise on to her cheeks, like a blushing schoolgirl.

“You’re doing it again.” He taunted her lightly. _Nothing like Five_ —

“Force of habit. When I was a kid, it felt like the only thing I knew how to say.” The words last night clung to the air around them once again as a reminder of past traumas. He hummed, “Tell me about it. I don’t think my dad ever forgave me for being born.” He righted the uneven mood of the situation before she ruined it again, “What about your mom?”

His voice had steel under it, one that she did not think she heard him use before. It was one that she usually placed that Five could only pull off, “She wasn’t really in the picture much.”

She knew from experience of dealing with Five to change the subject, “Hey, Helen.” She greets the woman in front of her but was ignored. Vanya sighs. Why must she always be the wallpaper?

“Friend of yours?” He scoffed. ( _A very Five way, Vanya. Maybe you have a type—shut UP!)_

She clenched her jaw, “First chair.” She threw out.

He looked lost, “First…and that…?”

_Five would have known off the bat. HE had been there when you practiced until your fingers bled that afternoon before taking your hands, making you sit then just talk about the world of music to him. He would have given you a sarcastic comment to which you would have replied in turn_ , the voice crawled back, “Oh its…. Ha— like the quarterback of the violin section.” Shit, maybe cold-turkeyling her pills is not such a good thing.

“Oh. I definitely know football.”

_Five did not care about stupid sports_ , her mind supplied lazy, _he would actually care to have a conversation than mind numbing it in front of a screen and_ — “She has the solo at the concert next week. She has yet to be unseated from her throne…for five years.” Her voice rattled on.

Leonard stared at her, “Well, want me to try? I could try. I’ve been practicing.” She gave him a look. He has not, “What? I think I’m getting good.”

She had to at least give him a polite smile as she stopped at the door to Icarus theater, “Thank you for everything.”

“Hey, maybe you can thank me over that dinner we missed?” He prompted, eyes never wavering from hers. She knew she should probably say no, but the mind is too stupid on childhood traumas of being left out and forgotten that it agreed quickly before her whole being could think it through.

“Perfect.” He commented with a sly smile before walking away.

* * *

This was not the first time Klaus has woken up to this type of situation (surprising), that he wakes instead with a shaky laugh. Father fucked them more over than most people realized, especially him, Ben and Vanya.

Honestly when he was raving mad, showing up at Vanya’s door about the money…he wanted to comment on it. (But also to buy drugs with later that didn’t even last that long to be even called a high—probably from the guilt of scaring her) In fact, he also felt guilty while he had climbed down the stairs of her apartment building, seeing as though her hands were shaking from his entrance (or was it her pills? Like when they were children. He had tried to take one once, but it ended with him getting punched in the face by Five himself) and his statement, that he did not go back because he had frightened her. _HIM!_ He was a lanky kid that was more of peace-loving type than ready for war. Yet, looking back on it years later, he could see some fears in her eyes. He never wanted his sister to feel that way with him.

She was his Vanny. His younger sister (though they were born at the same day and time…he felt she had the younger sister vibe to her), even though he liked to pick on her, like most siblings do, he never meant it out of hatred or maliciously doing it.

He could feel his skin crawling with excitement as his brain dared to come back into its right state of mind, as one of his kidnappers pulled the wire closer on his neck. Irony not lost on him, “I’m almost there.” He told them in mocking way. They were going to have to take it up a notch to even hold a candlelight to the childhood trauma that has prepared him for this type of torture.

_Amateurs._

“Is that a?” The first one questioned.

“ _Yep_.”

Finally, being released from the wire on his neck, he laughed loudly, “Ah, there’s nothin’ like a little stranglin’ to get the blood flowin’ am I right, guys?” His father’s words floated to him ‘ _throw them off their game if you cannot escape your imprisonment._ ’

‘ _Klaus. You need better coping mechanisms._ ’ A ghostly voice came to him, helpless to help.

‘Wow, don’t kink shame me, bro.” He chortles to his brother that was by the door, watching. He could see the fear in his eyes pointed directly at him. Klaus knew he wanted to help, yet he knew there was nothing to be done. So, he laughed again.

“Kink?”

“What’s so funny asshole?”

His kidnappers talked over one another, sending him into a fit of giggles at the hilariousness of this situation, “Well for one, you spent the last ten hours beating me senseless…and you’ve learned absolutely nothing (he thinks dad would have been proud. A knew record for him). No one tells me _shit_. I am the one person in the house that nobody would even notice is gone.”

‘ _Lies. You know Vanya probably knows_.’ Ben. The forever optimist.

Klaus would have yelled at him that their brainless siblings probably sent Vanya packing as soon as the danger was clear, (Plus, he also did not want to drag her into this type of situation…she never had the kind of training he did) but they would make him think he was crazy. He is, but they do not need to know that, right? All of them were… you had to be with their upbringing. “You, assholes kidnapped the wrong guy! _Congratulations_!” He laughs manically.

“Please make him stop talking.” The one on his right stated with a heavy groan.

“Lets’ waterboard him.”

Klaus (and he was sure that his siblings would agree) that fathers’ tactics of training them seemed… _animalistic_ , but they sure seemed to come in handy at times, like this one he currently found himself in. He gasped when the water was poured, sucking in as much of the water into his mouth as he could. Might as well get a drink out of it, “Ah! Oh, thank you. I really needed that. I was…so parched.” His shaky voiced came out in his most merry of way.

Hazel just moans, “Come on!” as he walked into the bathroom, followed by Cha-Cha, “Man, this is brutal. What the _hell_ is wrong with that guy?”

“He’s a freak like his brother.”

“Yeah, like everyone in that house seems to be. Just another example of management not telling the working man all they need to do their job correctly.” Cha-Cha just groaned, “they should have told us this was an atypical assignment. Hello? Hazards pay?” He paused, thinking of a new plan, “Maybe you’re not hitting him hard enough?”

“Me?” Cha-Cha scoffed, “You’re the one with the stupid orthopedic bracelet.”

Hazel was offended, “I told you, it’s for support.”

As they brattled on in the bathroom, Klaus was starting to feel the ghost that clung to the kidnappers. His skin was rising with goosebumps from their presence. He could even feel Ben’s presence more since he first conjured him up. The weight of the ghost realm was weighing on his fragile shoulders, as a shiver ran through him. Yes, he would admit he has done drug recovery, but they never cold-turkey him like this.

‘ _Oh, shit. Withdrawal. It’s starting now, isn’t it? Must be. ‘Cuz otherwise I’m as high as you…what’s with the dead babushka_?’ Ben tried to get his mind off what his body was going through. It was always like this when he came down. He needed the talking to keep him…Earth-bound.

Klaus shook his head vicariously, “I don’t know, but it’s driving me _crazy_! _The bitch_ won’t shut up!” Klaus spoke all the languages in varying degrees. He had too when he listened to the dead. He at first, thought it was cool to know what the ghosts where saying, but now? It was like driving a nail into his head.

A voice from the other side of the room shouted, sending another nail through Klaus’s skull, “Hey! Watch your mouth. Eyes front!”

‘ _Stay calm, Klaus. You got this. I’m right here_.’ Ben was in front of him in a flash, kneeling down.

The kidnappers come to Klaus once again, with a more prep in their steps. All Ben could think was, ‘shit.’ He watched in horror along side Klaus as they used his weakness against him, taking out his drugs and passing between themselves.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. What are you doing? That’s mine. That’s personal stuff there you’re grabbing.” His eyes were wide, and Ben knew… _fuck_.

“What do we have here?” One of them joked.

The other asked, “Let me see that?”

“Be careful, man! It’s—it’s my…heart medication.” Klaus winced as the man threw some of it on the ground in front of him. Ben was trying to talk to him, to keep his mind away from his craving. It was useless.

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Hazel commented happily as Klaus pouted at the drugs rubbed into the carpet.

‘ _I’m done with your drug habit!_ ’ Fives voice rang through his head. His mind settled away from the drugs for a hot second and that was all he needed, “No, no, no! Listen to me!” Klaus thundered to his kidnappers. He was not going to spill all the beans on his family. Vanya would be hurt and Five? Well, Five would make sure there was nothing left of him alive.

It was almost Ben saw a light in Klaus’s eyes as a plan had overtaken his addiction for the first time in a long while, ‘ _You’re not gonna tell them that its “special” chocolate?_ ’ He raised his brow, amused.

“Not until they’re high as kites.” Klaus looked directly at him. It was like they were kids again, on the same wavelength. They wanted to use his addiction against him. Well, they were gonna have to try harder than that.

‘ _Klaus be strong. You can do this_.’ Ben’s voice was just as Five’s but ringing truer in the room around him. The voice of the dead woman was drowned out as he tried to stop his powers from overtaking him. ‘ _I’m right here, you’re going to be okay_.’

“You can have this, just by telling us everything.” The first kidnapper said.

He pretended to think, “Ok, Fine. I’m sorry. Okay, I…I don’t know where Five is.” Which was currently true enough? “I wasn’t lying about that. But I can tell you that he’s…hasn’t—hasn’t been making much sense since he came back.” _Just keep giving them no real leads to where his brother might be_ , his thoughts came.

“Elaborate.” The one in front of him gave the signal to go on…and so he did. “I…uh…He’s just…he’s been acting like a---a---lunatic. He has been sitting in this van in front of—a---a lab or something, and…looking for the owner of an eyeball? One of those fake ones.” He knew that information was old news, but it would get them off his back, and to not search deeper. Until help arrives, or he can somehow get out.

“That makes no sense.”

The one by his shoulder moved to stand in place of Ben’s ghost making him shiver with remembrance that his brother was actually dead, “Hold on, tell us more about this eye. Why is it so important?”

“He said it had something or another to do with the end of times, I guess.”

* * *

Allison walked carefully into Vanya’s apartment complex, skittish of her place of where she calls home. _This is how she spent the money father gave us when we left?_ She thought to herself as she saw that her sister’s door was cracked open a sliver, making her heart race. She quietly made her way inside, using the wall to hide herself as the figure moved in front of her oblivious of his own surroundings.

She took him down with a swift kick, a pained voice cried out, “Allison! Wait!”

Leonard. She was confused. Why would a friend be in her apartment when she clearly was not here? She pulled him to his feet, still confused.

“Vanya’s at rehearsal. She left her keys at my apartment last night.” He explained when he saw her look.

Her eyes went wide, _shit_. She almost wanted to rumor him to leave and never return. _Five is going to hate this so much_. Even growing up, she knew that Vanya was Fives. Nobody got between that and if they did…well, “Then why are you in her apartment, clearly she’s not here?” She crossed her arms. She was going to leave this man for Five to deal with.

Some darker part of her (the one father had cultivated in all of them) thinks it would be a nice welcome home present for him.

He squirmed under her stare, eyes going to the floor, “Kinda embarrassing, but I had to use the restroom.” He cleared his throat, eyes now changing to a more predator look as he glared at her, “IF you don’t mind me asking, why are _you_ here?” He questioned her back.

She was shocked. She had seen a lot of bad guys have that dark look, and even Five can get the gleam down perfectly. Yet seeing it from a man she has only seen twice, and both times he was mousier than Vanya? That stunned her, “ _Excuse me?_ ” She almost felt scandalized. Why would she not see her sister?

He chuckled, “No, it’s just…from what I heard, you didn’t want anything to do with Vanya yesterday.” _Double shit_ , Allison thought. Vanya talked about what happened last night to him, a total stranger? “So, I was just wondering…” His sentence wandered off, his posture going back to one of being prey.

_A wolf in sheep’s clothing_ , her mind flashed out at her.

“I don’t know why that’s any of your business.” She told him sharply as a reminder. “You’re not family nor are you two _dating._ ”

He chuckled again as his eyes simmered with intent. _Triple shit_ , “Actually that’s where you’re wrong. We have a date for later… but no hard feelings. Uh, nice seeing you. I guess, I’ll just…drop these off to Vanya at rehearsal.” His gleaming eyes retreated once again, a dullness coming forefront.

She stepped forward, “You know what? ** _I’ll_** take them to her.” Her smile was just as sharp as any of her brothers.

* * *

Five was waiting in the car for the doctor to come out of the building. He had dropped Delores off at the mansion for safe keeping and headed out that same night looking for ways to stop the apocalypse. He wanted to go back to Vanya, but not with Hazel and Cha-Cha still out there stalking him to kill. He sighed internally, he needed to get this done and taken those two out before they fuck anything else. He felt an oncoming headache as his list of things he needed to do, grew. Shifting his thoughts to the task at hand, his mind had kept going back to the doctor, his gut telling him that the man was holding something back. So, now, here he was waiting…

…waiting…

And Five was never a patient man.

The man that he came to see finally exited his building in a jogger’s outfit, making him roll his eyes. A yellow lab attached to a harness was pulled tightly as if the man were afraid, he would lose his grip on the animal.

“Oh, shit!” The man exclaimed as he sat in the driver’s seat.

Five pulled a knife on the man’s throat with a little bit a pressure just to make sure the man knew he was her for business, the dog in the back seat not even making a sound as it dug into the seat before promptly sitting down. _Hmm,_ Five thought amused at the animal, _maybe the dog was smart_ , “One chance. That’s all you’ve got. **_One_** CHANCE to tell me exactly what is going on in that lab.” He seethed out. His urge to kill was climbing as the little clock in his head chimed down the minutes they probably have left.

The guy was pathetic as he spilled his guts without any more purport, “I…I manufacture prosthetic devices for fake patients. I bill the insurance companies and then sell them for cash on the black market.”

Five raised his brow, interested, “Including eyeballs?” He dug the knife a little bit in, drawing a little speck of blood that flowed slowly to the man’s shirt. The dog in the back seat just gave enough as if exhausted with the world around him.

“Yeah, surprisingly there my biggest seller. I mean, they really fly off the shelves. I’ve got a list, a waiting list probably 50 buyers.” He stuttered out, as if he could not say it fast enough.

“So, the serial number I told you…” He trailed off, starting still into the other man’s eyes.

“Could’ve already been bought, y-yes.”

“I needed that list.” Five’s jaw clenched tightly, trying to not let his tendency to kill first get to him this time, “Names and numbers, I need it now!” He barked out to the man.

“I don’t have it!” The mand almost squealed when Five pressed the knife even more into his neck, welling up more blood. “I mean! Its not on me, personally. Its in the office, in my safe.” The man’s voice climbed octaves, which Five was amused by.

“Well, start the car, then. ‘Cause we’re going on a field trip.” He smiled just as sharpy as knives. His hand shooting back to the poor dog in the back which the dog gladly greeted him with his head to be petted. He always had a soft spot for them, “Also, nice dog.”

“Y-you can have it. W-was my exes and I hated her and the dog. But she left in the middle of the night, leaving the stupid thing with me…it would piss her off to hand it to a k-k-killer.” He stumbled out of fear.

He slanted back in the passenger seat, mused. “Well, then.” And that was he said of the subject as the dog whined to be petted more. He softened his look.

A loud bang of small explosions and glass shattering caught Five’s attention. He saw the fires high in the city skylines and just knew (his luck seemed to be just that fucking bad), grabbing the dog’s collar, he jumped out of the car. It scared the man so much he ends up causing a car accident with three other cars.

“Stay!” he told the dog once they landed (the dog did not even seem shocked by the way he transported him), which it listens to obediently as he ran towards the building. Maybe he could just jump in there, get the files be—

The explosion threw Five a good measure away from the doors, he had to lay on his back for a moment to get his breath back. He felt a wet tongue lick his throat then his cheek, as a whine from the dog brought him back to reality, “I’m good.” He told the dog, getting up as fast he could, taking in the scene in front of him. The heat of the fire reminding him a little of the apocalypse making him shiver. He felt the press of a nose into his hand, “Shit.” He told the dog to which the dog whined once again.

“ _FIVE!!”_ the sounding of rushed feet came from the side of the building, Luther and Diego panted as they reach him, “Shit! Are you okay?”

“Guys!” Another shout came as Allison jogged to them, as well as the sirens of lights from emergency vehicles, “ _Fuck_ , we have to go.” She pulled on Luther’s jacket.

“What are _you_ doing here?” Luther questioned, as Diego helped Five dust himself off from the explosion. (“what’s with the dog?” Diego asked amused. “Don’t worry your small brain wouldn’t comprehend.” “Why you—)

“I-I was looking for Five. Seemed logical you guys were too.” She said plainly to keep it causal as a crowd was starting to gather on the streets to gawk at the still burning building.

Five’s eyes went to hers fast, those predators’ eyes flashed (Her thoughts spiked, _he has really gotten good at those_ ), “What happened?” His jaw was clenched, “Where’s Vanya and Klaus?” His blood was boiling it his veins. _If his siblings did something stupid…_

The three of his siblings just glanced between each other, “Well…”

_…of fucking course they did._


	9. Done Pleading Ignorance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So...yeah. This chapter, is needed? I know most people like Allison's ark in season one, with her becoming the sister Vanya needs, BUT I felt it was a little too rushed in a sense. Harsh words where never talked between them, to finally get somethings out in the open, you know? This is her turning point I think?  
> I don't know what I'm saying anymore.  
> ENJOY!  
> And thanks again for the reviews! They make me feel so warm in my own cold dead soul.

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Nine: Done Pleading Ignorance

" _Send in your skeletons_  
 _Sing as their bones go marching in, again_  
 _The need you buried deep_  
 _The secrets that you keep are ever ready_  
 _Are you ready?_  
 _I'm finished making sense_  
 _Done pleading ignorance_  
 _That whole defense_

_Spinning infinity, boy  
The wheel is spinning me  
It's never-ending, never-ending  
Same old story"_

The Pretender

By: Foo Fighters

Five sighed.

He feels like he is too old for his siblings’ bullshit, aging just being in their presence.

_Ash. Rubble. Bodies._

He shook those thoughts away from the anxiety of the end looming over his head. They wanted him to be the leader, their eyes watching him for direction of what to do. _Fine_ , he thought bitterly, _I will make sure they regret putting this on me_. Pulling his shoulders back to be the leader they have not had since he left. “ ** _Fine_**. One and Two, find Klaus. Three, find Vanya. I have an event to stop.” He ordered them, turning away with the dog by his side to start walking away. He hoped that they would not fuck up those simple tasks.

“She’s at work Five. Some theater.” Allison threw out, trying to remember what Leonard has named it, “Some placed called Phys, or Deaden?”

Diego took the time to stop petting the dog to answer her, “It’s the Icarus theater.” They all turned to him with questions in their eyes of how he knew that information, “Before her book came out, my beat was in her neighborhood, I would check on her.” He shrugged off their stares.

Still, his answer left some questions, but for now it would do as they all nodded.

Luther and Diego left without anymore preamble, grumbling. (“Aren’t _you_ the leader, Number One?” “ _Shut up_.” “No seriously…I feel like Five is better at it then you.” “You want me to put you in a head lock like when we were younger?”)

Allison on the other hand, “Actually Five…I think you should come with me to see Vanya.” She said cautiously as she could see his shoulders tense.

He did not turn around.

“Why?”

She could see his jaw was clench, and all she could think about was he is going to crack a tooth if he keeps that up, “When was the last time you saw her?” She needed him to come with her, she did not know what Vanya would be like, especially after last night’s talk.

He turned at that, “What did you guys say to her?” he accused.

She barely held back a pout as he did not answer her question. It was only Five that could really put them all in their places at the best of times. So, “There were these guys that attacked the mansion last night looking for you. They killed mom,” they started to walk together as Five listened carefully, “Vanya was there.”

The glare he sent her way was enough. “Their names are Hazel and Cha-Cha. They’re assassins, and I’m sorry about mom.” A cold hard tut came out of his mouth once he realized why Vanya wasn’t with them, “So let me guess…you all thought that after the danger you would put that one brain cell you three have together and told her to leave, right? Of course, I’m right!” He snarled, hands now running through his hair harshly, making the dog by his side whine, “Tell me, just tell me…she wasn’t hurt when she left.”

Guilt ate at her stomach, “Well…”

“She was hurt, and you _let_ her walk away? They could have kidnapped her, or she could’ve—" He stopped in the middle of them crossing the street causing the cars around them to honk their horns, “One _thing_ , **one** simple thing. Honestly? At this point I kind of want to just take a nap and let the world burn!”

“It was a head wound.” She mumbled like a scorned child, “And it’s not my fault. Diego—"

“Not your fault?” He just full bellied laughed out loud, “I’m on her side, in fact! Her books certain chapters are starting to make more and more sense to me! (She contemplated when he had time to read her book) I hope she slaps you. That would be fun!” He laughed more manically by her side, “Hell, if she wants it, I’ll do it for her!”

Allison jutted her chin up, trying to get more stable footing with talking with Five. Every time speaking to Five, it felt like communicating to a young god that knows every little thing about you. “You know we _all_ were affected by you leaving.” She felt like she had to remind him like a burned child, “Not just the siblings that you were _very_ close too.”

He scoffed, “Yeah, you guys seem _really_ affected.” She watched as his hand moved to the dogs’ head to pet it by his side.

Now it was her time to clench her jaw, “Well at least we seem like it.” She started airy, “I mean, our _sister_ seems like she’s moved on from _you_.” Her eyes widened, wrong words, VERY wrong words, but she could not take them back. She did not know Vanya’s situation with this Leonard guy and she just blustered out—

“ _What?”_

“Vanya.” She tutted, “Seems like she’s replaced you. Guess you weren’t worth the wait after all.” She told him offhandedly. It burned in her gut, the shame of such a lie but she could not take it back now. She could rumor him to forget it, but it would just piss him off more than he already is at this point.

Thank god, she saw Vanya coming out of the theaters back door, her hands in her pocket and eyes tired. Shit, it looks like she didn’t sleep…or had no need for it. Vanya came to meet them, with a silent nod at them both. This, this was a train wreck waiting to happen.

“Hey. We have been looking for you, Vanya. Its mom, she’s…she’s gone.” Allison started off, eye slanting towards a surprising quiet Five. His face gave nothing away, “I know we said we were gon—”

“What’s with the dog?” Vanya cut Allison off, pointing to the animal next to Five. The yellow lab had just happily stared at her, tongue hanging out as if waiting for her to pet his head.

“Aren’t you going to let Allison talk, dear Vanya?” he questioned instead to goad her, a shadow of a smirk starting to show.

“Would. But I’m feeling a little puckish.” She gave him a sly smile, making Five’s shoulders lose tension that Allison didn’t even know he was carrying, “besides,” she continued with a sigh, giving up her stance of not approaching the good dog for a pet, “I haven’t seen you in like two days. Saw her last night. Told me to _leave…_ can you believe that?” She explained curtly.

Allison rolled her eyes. She thought only Five could act childish like this. She started again, “It was those psychopaths last night. They killed her; Diego found her this morning.” She did a slight pause, looking between them both though they acted like she was not even there as they stared at one another, “And about last night, what I said—"

That got Vanya to stand suddenly, already done with the standoff she started. She knew that she wanted this conversation over fast and go home to grab her refill pills. Practice went amazingly well, she felt more Intune with the music being played then she had in years. It was a freeing experience for her. Yet, she was feeling rundown after rehearsal, but her skin felt tight and ready for…something she did not want to find out. And even her already beat up heart and soul—still cared (it had now craved its never-ending cycle apparently), “No, no don’t worry about it.” She gave Allison a tight smile, pulling her violin case higher on her shoulder, though Five was already taking the case from her without a comment. It still shocked Allison that Vanya was just casually willing to give her most prized possession to Five to hold without thought. Yet, Allison could still see he used it to get close to her, making her want to shake her head at the two. Vanya, to her, was never that casual with her, making the jealous bubble in her soul as her voice carried out her soul’s intent, “Oh, I have your keys.”

The object startled Vanya as she stared at her keys in her sisters’ hand. She had those keys with her when she was told to leave the mansion last night. Did her sister bump into Leonard? Five came closer to her pressing a hand into her back in warning. She gulped shallowly, “Why do you have my keys?” She asked her sister confused.

Allison sighed, “It’s a long story. Do you want a drink?”

Vanya looked at Five (making Allison’s eye tighten around the corners) first, “Sure. I guess?”

* * *

Klaus was not doing so good.

The flashbacks of his childhood in the mausoleum haunted him more now that his kidnappers placed him in the closet when they went out. He knew it was probably his only shot to leave, but his mind was clouding with horrific childhood memories.

_Dad let me out! Let ME OUT! P-please! DAD! DAD!_

His brain was yelling and screaming as his body was whimpering in overload of memories surrounding him with long since dead ghosts of the past.

‘ _Klaus, you’re not there. You are with me. Breathe. I do not think detoxing and childhood traumas are a good mix. And by the looks of it, you are in the worst of detoxing. Just try and stay calm_.’ The soothing voice of his forever rock, Ben, grounded him to the situation that he found himself in, ‘ _that’s it, proud of you Klaus._ ’

He opened his eyes, what felt like years for him, to look at the dark small room they place him in the slants of the doors of the closet shinning the only light into the space. He gave out a shaky sigh. He wasn’t in total black, which is good.

He screamed into the tape on his mouth, but the maid didn’t hear him. He panted eyes closing, wishing he could just give up.

‘ _Five didn’t approve of you giving up, nor did Vanya. Or did you forget those nights where she helped you in her tiny bathroom as you threw your guts up? While all I could do was watch…you know what the worst thing about being dead?_ ’ Ben hissed into Klaus’s ear, ‘ _Nowhere to go. Nowhere to change. That’s the really torture, if you gotta know. Watching your brother take for granted everything you lost and pissing it all away…_ ’

* * *

“Leonard wouldn’t. I can’t even imagine.” Vanya stated, taking another sip from her glass. Her right hand was not shaking yet, but she could feel a small one beginning in her nondominant hand as it was starting to beat out a tune, they had been learning in rehearsal. The wet nose of the dog pressed against it gave her comfort. She was still surprised that the bar attendant just let them bring the dog in, but it could also have been Five’s glare at the man as they passed him.

They had found a small bar, sitting at a table to talk for more privacy. Five sat close to her side, giving and taking comfort she was sure. He barely said anything since they entered, just sitting by her and drinking his beverage.

“I don’t wanna believe it either, but why would he tell you he’s going to work, and then letting himself into your place?”

“To use the bathroom, like he said?” She snapped out slowly, already wanting to have this little powwow over. She felt Five’s hand come and lay to rest on her upper thigh making her feel some coldness that made her realize she was burning, she shot him a look. Yet, he was not even looking at her, just the news on the TV over the bar talking about the explosion at some medical building today.

“Or to creep around.” Allison said, clearly ignoring them.

“He wouldn’t.” Vanya lay down her stance, before nodding in the direction of Five, “though Five already has.”

“You rifled through her stuff?” Allison asked him quizzically which she only got a small shrug in return, “Yah, but that’s just his nature. We all know that—,” She shook her head when she saw the barest eye glare from Five, turning the conversation back towards the person at hand, “Maybe he wanted to steal something? I mean…”

Vanya scoffed, “The only real thing of value is my violin which I had…’cuz I was at rehearsal.” She joked, feeling Five’s thumb start to slowly caress her thigh under the table. _Jesus,_ she sent him a short peek.

Allison looked ready to bare her teeth, “Fine. Jerk off on your Mr. Snuggles teddy bear, then?”

“Dear god, no! No, stop.” This time Vanya took a swig of her drink to use the burn to stop the blush that she knew was coming to her face.

“Look,” Allison said with another sigh, “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but sometimes, men are unredeemable shits, right Five?” She sent him an amused glance.

He groaned taking another long drink before ordering another, “Why are you dragging me into this _pointless_ conversation?” He inquired. His hand moving to go rest higher on Vanya’s thigh, making her leg twitch underneath his fingertips. He knew in his heart that Vanya was still his. She even told him with the quick question she asked about the dog. She still cared, though very pissed (he will always forever say she has a right to be) at him leaving her in mid-conversation two nights ago. They will have their chance to talk…once Allison leaves, and he goes home with her.

He was not leaving her alone anymore.

Vanya snorted, “Well, she’s kinda right.” Five now turned to glare at her, though not as fiercely. _If she wanted to be_ cute _, he would let her…for now_ , “I mean that in the _best_ way possible.” She told him as her apology, which he accepted by finishing her drink for her. She gave him a light push, before turning back to Allison, “Sorry to tell you, but we are not anything…so let it go…isn’t that what children movies are telling the _youths_ these days?” She plainly put it out in the open for both Allison _and_ Five.

Five laughed into his drink. She will take that as a win, and took the drink right out his hand, and finished his drink, staring straight into his eyes that she loved so much. He just smirked at her, then ordered another one with a wave of his hand at the bartender who was grumbling behind the bar.

Allison shook her head lowly in disbelief.

“Look. I know its weird ‘cause we only knew each other for a few days, but…isn’t that how all friendships start?” Yeah, maybe they were not the _best_ people to ask about friendships, “I mean, _yes_ —he’s normal—"

“Vanya, you are worth more than a normal friendship. I’ve told you, you’re extra—” Five doled out plainly from his perch next to her.

But she was not having it right now. Her skin was tightening and her mind was coming unraveled a little bit (both the mixture of alcohol and not taking a pill in about---21 hours give or take) and Five’s hand was not making the situation any better, (she didn’t brush it off though) as she pointed a finger at him, “You hush, I’m still kinda pissed you just jumped out of the last conversation we had. The only reason your even here now, probably, ‘cause Allison said something about a new guy in my life.” She sighed when both didn’t disagree at statement she made, “Leonard. He’s… _sweet_.” She finished. It was the only word she could think of that would fit the man. She also wanted to flinch, because Allison was making a lot of sense---sibling rivalry wouldn't let her come out and admit to it though, “‘cuz of that, he somehow saw something in me no one else did.” She muttered out, staring down her empty glass.

“ _Excuse me_.” Five scoffed, his hand tightening a little bit on her thigh, making her squirm in her seat, the dog whined under the table getting them a look from the bartender. Her hand made its way down to the dog’s head to calm the dog.

“Look, we’ll have our talk alone soon, Five. But right now?” He gave her a quick short nod, turning back to the TV. Shit, she sighed tiredly, turning back to look at Allison, “You all told me to leave this ‘superhero’ stuff to you guys, and I **_am_**. You are the ones harping on me, not the other way around. You’re giving me whiplash here. How do you want it?” She leaned back to give herself more space, for her next words that she made sharp as a knife, just so she could get out of this conversation faster, “Besides, Allison shouldn’t you focused on your different relationships? Giving that you and Luther should be talking about your own complicated relationship?” She tilted her head at her sister.

The hand on her thigh shook as if Five was trying to keep himself from laughing out loud, his face still not showing any emotion.

Allison’s eyes grew wide, “Wow, where is this coming from?”

“Well, we were talking about relationships.” She told her, “Shouldn’t we talk about everyone’s? Makes it even, don’t you think?” Vanya shot back, this time her hand fell onto Fives that was on her tight to rub the top of it. She should feel his amusement for her harshness at Allison. She would shake her head at him, giving that he always enjoyed it when she would snap back, but it was not appropriate.

“Yeah,” Allison slowly started, after a moment to collect her thoughts, “well we are not talking about what is between Luther and I, alright?” There was a gleam in her eyes, one Vanya knew well as she was going to use something against her, “Did you sleep with him?”

Vanya moved forward to lean on the table, something that surprised them all. Vanya was not one to confront so forwardly, she was one to do it by the sides as Five does it for her (yet, he stayed seated, with a mood that was boiling his blood for a different reason). _Her sister wanted to play this game, fine_ , Vanya thought as fire burned in her soul, _two will play this game. She was done with bullshit talks about her sister thinking she knows what is best for her_. _She did not even now what was best for herself!_ She squinted her eyes while she tried to keep her voice low, “So what if I did?” The hand that was on her thigh moved to tighten almost painfully, “I’m a grown ass woman. I have not seen… _either_ of you in years, _literal_ years.” She points out to them both, but her eyes met those sharp green head on. She was done with conversations right now, “And now you come into my life all high and mighty about who’s in my life?”

“We’re just worried, Vanya. We always are.” Allison said with her perfected sad eyes, “You’re our sister.”

She barked a sharp laugh, “Oh now your worried? _Fine_. Then answer this for me will ya, truthfully?” She stood, Fives hand falling away, but she was done. The tightening of her skin was starting in her chest this time, like something was brightening in her darkened soul. The sounds in the bar were becoming almost claustrophobic. Her pill is much more needed then protecting feelings at this moment, “After Five ran away and Ben died, who was the next to leave the Academy?”

Vanya got what she wanted as a real look of confusion overcame her face, “it was Klaus.” She shook her head, “What does—”

“See, right there means you never really cared that I was your sister.” Vanya shook her head, “I was the first to leave. Though, I am wondering how long it took… _any of you_ …to even realize there wasn’t the sound of a violin playing in the sitting room.” She bent over to tell Allison in her ear, “I wonder…days…months? Or was it, years?” She questioned like a lover asking something sensual, turning on her heels she left the bar with Five trailing lazily with the dog at his side.

Allison was stumped and stuttered unsure of words next to say. The first time ever words failed her.

* * *

“You idiot! You didn’t put the do not disturb on the door!” His kidnappers have arrived once again. Klaus almost wanted to cry in respite, but it just meant he was going to be in their care for even longer.

“Oh, thank god, he’s still here.” One of then sighed in relief as they opened the closet door.

Klaus could keep pretending, being a good, kidnapped victim, he guesses. Ben and he had talked it over, well…more like Ben talked it through to him, He mumbled words through the tape, before the first step was completed as they took off the tape.

First mistake.

Again. Amateurs.

“What are you sayin’?” One of his kidnappers was a woman, though he wasn’t surprised all that much.

“You guys are scarier without the masks.” He told them tiredly as he chuckles. Ben was close by his shoulder which brought him comfort to keep sassing them.

“That’s no way to say hello to you old friends, is it?” A man told him.

Klaus just groaned, shivering in both withdrawal and the slow feeling of their ghosts seeping through the vale, “Can’t we call it a night? I already gave you what you wanted. Just please…please let me go.” He pleaded, like all kidnapped victims do. _Man_ , he thought in startled realization, _Father really fucked our ways of dealing with awful shit, didn’t he?_ He questioned himself.

“Well, technically, we want your brother. Is your brother here now?” The woman answered this time.

With that sentence, Klaus casually turned his head to where Ben was laying on the bed, “You’re gonna have to be a little more specific on that.” He chuckled which earned him a sharp slap across the face, “Owie! I told you! He’s not coming.” He said slowly so they could get each word.

“Well, Number Five knows now.” He had to chuckle at that, “We left him a message. And when he comes for you, we’ll be ready.”

“Huh.” He blinks, “Just like the last time you went after him?”

They stared at him, blinking spooked. They did not know what his special freak powers he had, but he was right, and it made them nervous for some reason. They closed the shades, leaving him in darkness.

The memory of his Father shutting him in, stuck out like a cord being hit by lightning.

‘ _Welcome back to the land of the living, Number Four_.’ He could almost hear his Father chuckle heartlessly, ‘ _have you overcome your fear of the dead?_ ’ His words sharp.

Klaus panted as the memories started to fade a little. ‘ _You went there again, didn’t you?_ ’ Ben asked from his seat on the ground next to him. He looked up at him, concern clearly written on his face.

_‘Fear of the dead?’_

Those words echoed in him, drawing the power that was sleeping like a purring sleepy kitty to stretch awake, claws ready for some damage as it dungs into his soul once more to bring him power. _Oh no_ , his brain filled with dread, _the ghosts_. The old woman was the first to turn her head towards him, moth to a flickering flame.

They have started to notice him.

Klaus just started to whimper out a series of no’s.

He had to look, but her death wound was on her head, still looking like it was just made, making Klaus feel queasy at it, “Oh, Jesus.” He muttered, looking away.

‘ _No, look at her_.’ Ben commented. ‘ _At how she’s looking at them. She’s one of their victims._ ’

“Yeah, I know that. I can tell.” He told him, morosely.

‘ _Well, we can use this. You can do this. You have not been this sober since you were a teen since you decided to keep the ghosts at bay. This is your chance, Klaus. I know it is. To control them, learn their secrets. Just try to talk to her_.’ Ben sounded excited. When they were younger, he never could see how Klaus’s powers worked, but now that he was on this side of the vale? He was beyond ready to see his brother in action. ‘ _The others? I bet are looking for you still. I know Five and Vanya are_.’ Ben recapped him.

Klaus gave a shifting breathe, turning towards the old woman once again, “h-hi! Hi, uh, what’s your name?”

‘ _Zoya Popova_.’ She gave him.

He was shocked. It was working, “oh, that’s a lovely name. And can you tell me w-what happened?”

“What’s happens if you don’t shut up, I’m—” The woman yelled at him.

“Zoya Popova.” He snarked at her quickly. He was not going along with their game anymore. He felt the power within him purr more to life, and it felt…amazing!

“What did he say?” The man question came from the bathroom.

“Zoya Popova?” the woman replied to him, confused.

Klaus went on ignoring their comments, “Old Russian broad, short, with a limp.” He laughed half-heartedly, “oh, she’s real pissed at you guys.” He whistles, turning away from them, “She is not happy she can’t gut you like pigs you are.”

He could honestly feel Ben smirk in the corner behind him, “oh stop smirking.” Yet, he had one of his own.

Ben watched as each ghost came to Klaus, amazed at his brother’s talent with the dead. He was so proud of him.

“Shut up, everybody…j-just—just shut up for a moment. Jesus, you guys are worse than the drugs.” His brain was being pelted with information of each ghost in the room, and it was slightly overwhelming him some. It had been years, just like Ben had said, since the last time he was this sober to talk to any ghost.

His kidnappers finally pulled him around to face them, and by the time they did he had what he needed, “Which one are you? Cha-Cha or Hazel?”

“Hazel.” The man replied.

“Jan Mueller. Remember him?” His voice strong as the ghost around him, “Swiss Alps. Him and his wife were coming back from a ski trip.” He nodded to his own story with Cha-Cha commenting on ‘forward, reverse’, “Yeah. That’s it!” he chuckled softly. “Yeah! And his wife…escaped down an alleyway. He says to _thank you_.”

“What’s he talkin’ about?” Cha-Cha asked her companion.

“He’s was so grateful to you, Hazel, for having spared his wife. You know, there may be hope for him yet, don’t _you_ think?” He asked Cha-Cha sarcastically as the dead around them watched on, their own gnarled and broken bodies smiling like demons.

“Bathroom, now!” Cha-Cha commanded, walking off.

Klaus just pouted at Hazel, “You have been a really _nighty_ boy, you know that?” He winked at him, turning his head away to look at Ben’s smiling face. ‘ _Nicely done_.’ Ben commented to which Klaus could only say, “Thank you, thank you _very_ much.” He drawled out an Elvis’ tone.

Before Klaus got bored of them staying in the bathroom. He needed to keep them on their toes, “Jan says you’re a real mensch, Hazel.” He goaded, his eyes flaring with intent, “Though, should I ask another in the room what they think of you, hmm?”

He saw Cha-Cha then come storming out of the bathroom with the tape already in her hands.

Yet she was too late, as flash a blue appeared in front of him like a saving grace, “Miss me?” Those green eyes taunted the woman, a gun already pointed right in her face, before he shot her right in the eye.


	10. Come and Get it From Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So  
> Hi! I know its been a minute since i last updated, but I work weekends...and boy was it a looong weekend.
> 
> Also thank you for the comments! They make my heart warm!

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Ten: _Come and Get it From Me_

' _Cold blood running through my veins_  
_Born wild, it's my DNA_  
_No mercy, feel no pain_  
_I got a heart like a hurricane_  
  
_Tell me is the colour of midnight different to the colour of sun_  
_Is the bottomless ocean deeper than the heavens above?_  
_No matter what's in front of me I'll keep fighting until I've won_  
_Who's gonna stop me, the fire is in me now'_

Come and Get it From Me

By: Sun Heat

“Do you think I was too harsh?” Vanya finally asked as they walked a couple of blocks away from the bar. Her mind kept swirling with the words she used, her panic settling some since they left. She did not know where that anger, and vindictiveness came from, but it had just felt like it needed to burst out of her. The feeling of brightness dimmed for now, making her think that she just imagined it all.

Five saw her temper finally had simmered as his hand went for the dogs head briefly. He was surprised when the dog had helped Vanya under the table with her anxiety before he even could. “No. I think that was pretty tame.” He concluded after a moment. He shifted in his stance as they walked to take her hand in his, feeling the warmth of them.

She sighed in relief.

“Let’s go home.” He prompted, pulling the hand that was entwined.

“I’m _not_ going to the mansion.” She told him sternly. She would rather be killed then step another foot into that awful place.

“…I meant your apartment.” He told her, pulling her close, and a light touch on the dog he jumped.

When they were back in the familiar walls of her sanctuary. The dog made his way throughout the apartment, just like Five had done two days ago, “God.” She laughed as she gazed up at him. She liked that he was now taller than her, made her feel safe, “I missed that.” Her words were truthful.

“Really?” He was surprised, most people did not like to jump with him. Yet, Vanya was always different.

“Yeah,” She giggled softly. “I missed you being able to take me anywhere.” Her hand coming up to lightly trace his cheek, both still close, “Your powers never scared me. Just like Ben’s or Klaus’s never did.” She finally admitted.

 _Fuck_ , Five thought as he disentangled himself from her, even though he wanted to do the opposite. They did need to have a conversation, one that needed to be said with a clear mind, “Oh, by the way, he was taken last night.” He told her lightly as he could. He knew that Vanya could handle these types of situations better than anyone…have their siblings forgotten that she would be the only one alone waiting for them? Sometimes for days on end, until they came home.

“ _Fuck_.” Five almost laughed out loud at the swear. He did not even think she knew how to swear, “Should we—” She started, eyes almost aglow.

“Nope. Got Luther and Diego on it.” He did not want her to panic more, it was bad for her heart.

She blinked at him, “Wow. And they actually listened to you?”

“I was surprised just as you.” He told her with a shake of his head.

Her stomach growled. She nervously laughed, “we need food. Chinese?” She stated, tugging her coat off then going into sit down on the couch with a soft sigh glad to be in a more comfortable setting, “We should not have drank…”

“You need to change.” He said off kilter, demanding as he stepped a half inch away. He could not look at what she was wearing since she had her coat on, but…the evidence was right there. The clothes were too big for her frame (even though she did like baggier clothes) from a distinctive male clothing line. Did she not care for him anymore? It made his jaw flex. _No, she was his,_ he was firm in that.

She was confused for a moment, then looked down at the clothes that were not hers. She did not want Five to think that of her ( _‘but you are…you did’ ‘—shut up he doesn’t need to know ab—’ ‘but you know he will’_ ), “Oh. Sorry. Just my clothes were wet and—never mind.” She quickly got to her feet. Came out in a soft grey tee, and some leggings after calling for food. “So, the dog?” The light soft in the apartment, as the sun was heading towards late evening. She plunked herself down to face him on the couch while the dog laid at his feet.

“Guy I was—getting information from, gave me him.” He did not want to tell her that he was thinking about killing him just to get his information.

“You didn’t ask for a name?” She raised her eyebrow at him.

“It was probably stupid, anyways. Like Skip or some shit.” He justified his reasoning of him just taking the dog. He just did it without thought in that moment, his eyes going to the dog on the floor.

“Oh? Well that is a perfectly reasonable name.” She said with a smirk which got a friendly glare from Five, “Or not.” She relaxed into the couch more as she moved her legs to cross them, just basking in the feeling of being home, “Then I’m guessing you have a name then?” She asked.

He smiled, “Mr. Pennycrumb.”

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

They small talked until food had arrived with a soft knock on the door. When Vanya paid, and made her way back, she knew it was time for the conversation. The dread filling her as they split the meal infront of them.

“Who’s the other person that survived…in the apocalypse?” She started nonchalantly as she could, eyes on the food container in her hand. She had moved a fraction hair length away from him, to give them the space they both needed.

“Delores?” He paused in his eating, sighing. “She uh—a mannequin that…look I had to keep myself sane somehow, right?”

For the first time since knowing him, she does not ever recall him looking so distraught or almost shameful. It scared her a little, but she was not mad at him (well, not anymore). Not over trying to keep himself sane. They all had to think of ways to cope with staying with Fathers ruling, why couldn’t she give Five the same regard? “ _Five_.” Her voice stern, willing him his green eyes to greet hers.

“Its okay.” He said with a shrug, returning to his food.

She graced him with a smile, “I would love to meet her one day.” Those words got the reaction she wanted as his eyes met hers once more.

He laughed as he gained his confidence that he wore like a second skin, getting an eye from Vanya, “She said the same. In fact, she also kinda yelled at me for leaving you the other night.” Hand coming up to nervously run his fingers through the back of his head in an anxious tick.

“Ah.” So that concludes that he went to her after their fight, “Even a smart woman. My, my…Five you have a type sir.” She taunted him, digging into her food.

He honored her once more with a soft smile, before it fled into a grimace, “I’m sorry still, for leaving like that.” He moved his left hand back to her knee, needing to feel the life under his fingers. That she was still here, alive.

With him.

“Just.” She sighed frustrated, moving an inch closer to him. She did not want to harp on him flashing away from her, but the ultimate reason why he did in the first place, “If you’re going to leave suddenly before I wake up, write the note on a postit and slap it to my forehead. Not on my walls, clearly they don’t like to be written on.”

They both laughed, settling in more of each other’s presence as a passable moment went by as they ate.

“Why do you do that?” Vanya had to ask, it had been starting to drive her mad with need, the need of him closer. His thumb was once again massaging her knee, then slowly trailing up her thigh, until it returns to her knee once more.

He was startled. Maybe she did move on, but he had to play it cool, “What, I need a reason to touch you now?” His hand quickly left before her hand took his to return it back to its placement. _So, she didn’t move on_ , he thought in relief, _she was still his…always his_.

“No, just…at the bar.” She had to think for a moment to put her words in order, “It was like you weren’t really sure you were doing it, is all.” She finally decided on.

 _Oh, oh! This I can explain._ He wanted to just come out and say that he was making sure she was still his but…that was not all true, “It’s…it’s to make sure I am back. _Really_ back with you.” He paused in his next words, “You seem…in better focus.” He did not want to say she was better off them, just their father gave them to her, who knows what was in them? In seeing the results, he was sure those pills were doing something to her.

She harshly let out a breath, “Fuck, my pills…” She groaned into the one hand that was still open. She shifted, going to get up.

“No!” he panicked, he was sure if she took one, she could fall into the blank slate and glazed eyes. He could not handle that ( _ash. Bodies, hot, silence_ ), “not yet please. I’ve missed you.” His hand that was on her knee tightened a little, afraid that she would disobey the undertone command.

“I’ve missed you too, Five.” She leaned more into him, sighing for she knew he was right, “Fine, okay. Besides, they are for anxiety. And the stress from before seems to…left.” She said with a wave of her hand. She shifted even closer, shifting his hand to her inner thigh, making his hand flex. They stay quiet for a moment just enjoying each other’s company. Her hand stroking his, and he caressed her inner thigh.

She had to break it, to clear the air once and for all, “about the sex thing…” She winced.

“Vanya. It is in _the past_. But if it comes to be something after this, I will _kill_ him.” He states plainly.

She laughed. What a Five thing to say.

“I’m serious.”

“OH, I know you are.” She chuckled again, before wafting her hand by her head as if she remembered something, “I am having a flashback to when we were ten—"

He groaned as his hand stopped moving, “Never mind. He can have you.”

“Hey! No…I am yours!” She panicked in thinking he would actually just give up on her that quickly, “No take backs. I’ve _always_ been yours.”

That was the motivation he needed. He moved in a blink over her form on the couch. His arms were shaking from the restraint he had to keep. They were treading in dangerous waters now, one that if they crossed…he was going to make sure they never went back through again, “You have to take to the grave, Vanya. You and I both know I am _not_ one to share.” His arms coming to box her in, which seemed to make her brown eyes darken even more.

Her hand shot out to caress his cheek, as he leaned into it, eyes locked on hers.

“Yeah. Well, apparently, I don’t like to either.” She finally admitted.

His lips were on hers in a second, “ _Vanya_.” He mumbled into them.

She whimpered, arms reaching up to go around his neck to pull him even closer, “ _Five._ ”

His hands finally made their way up her shirt, noticing that she was not wearing anything underneath, “Bedroom, _now._ ” And then he jumped with her, leaving the dog to huff.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

The sound of her kitchen telephone wakes her up in sheer darkness. She groans.

“Don’t.” A voice softly commanded her from behind. His arm wrapped securely around her to keep her from moving away.

“Could be important, Five.” She turned to clip a quick kiss on his lips, getting up to fetch Five’s shirt. She smirked back at Five’s still sleeping form, before quickly going to the phone, “Hello? Diego? Slow down…you found him.” She stated.

Five jumped to the kitchen taking the phone from her. He ignored Diego’s comments of why he was at Vanya’s place, asking for the information then hung up to turn to her once more.

His eyes gazed over her choice, appraising the form of her in his clothes with tussled locks of her hair, and still warm from sleep eyes. It stirred the beast inside once more. “I’ll be needing that.” She blinked at him before just unbuttoning his shirt then handing it to him with a saucy smile. She was not helping him move to save their brother one bit, “I’ll bring him back here.” He told her, “Mr. Pennycrumb will stay with you, he’ll protect you. Don’t leave the apartment.” He reminded her. He would not be here to protect her if Hazel or Cha-Cha came after her, and it made him weary to go.

She nodded, coming to pull him in for a quick kiss, pressing her naked body against his, “Mr. Pennycrumb reminds me of you.” She mumbled onto his lips, which made him chuckle, “Please come back this time.” The worry was still present.

“Vanya, I just got a taste of you. I’m not going to stop until I’ve tried it all, and then some.” His eyes going hungry over her body that was still pressed against him.

“GO save Klaus.” She instructed him as she stepped away from him.

“Fine.” He grumbled.

“I’ll be here.” She harks back at him once more.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Once Five was gone, her eyes drifted towards the clock on the stove. The flash of a green 7:15, brought her down to Earth finally.

_Shit, Leonard!_

She grabs the phone and dials his number, “Hey Leonard.” She starts off awkwardly, “Something…came up.”

 _‘Oh, okay. I was just worried about you and was just about to call…is everything okay?_ ’

In her mind, something was not adding up, considering they had made plans for a dinner, and its way past time for dinner, “Yeah…look. I’m sorry—”

‘ _You’re doing it again._ ’ He cut her off.

She had a small, forced smile, “Right. Anyways, I think we should just be friends.”

There was a pause on the phone, that made her think he may have hung up, but no dial tone was coming through, so she waited.

‘ _Is it the guy that was waiting for you at home?_ ’ The question was jarring for her, because yes…it was. ‘ _Look, I don’t know the type of situation it is, but it seems to me that he’s stringing you along…until he gets what he needs from you. You came to my house, crying and slept with me after telling me there was nobody and—if you just want to be friends until you have figured out your situation with him, okay. You’re worth the wait._ ’ And with that he hung up, leaving Vanya to her doubts swirling around her once more.

* * *

The siblings stared at Cha-Cha’s fallen body for a moment in absolute wonder.

Klaus’s mind could only scream:

_He came! Five actually fucking came!_

“Klaus!” Five barked at him, wondering by the burns, scars, and wounds on his brother had affected him.

“You actually came.” Klaus started dazed, “I thought you and Vanya would be doing the dirty tango.” Klaus laughed out, as Five started to untie him from the restraints.

‘ _You **WANT** to be rescued right?_’ Ben commented from his side, looking over Five’s whole demeaner. He looked in good spirits from what Ben could tell, so it looks like Klaus will get recused.

Five paused, “It was a close tie, to be honest.” He states, before untying more of the ones on his brother’s feet.

Klaus had to chuckle because it was such a Five answer that he wanted to weep. He does not know how long he was away from the others, but at least Five had not given up on him, “Now, I see why Vanya like—BEHIND YOU!”

Five turned quickly, throwing a kick into Hazels stomach, making the bigger man stumble into the wall.

“Klaus, get out! Go!”

He did not need to be told twice as bullets starting to rain in the small hotel room as well as the sound of his brother spatial jumping around. He crawled on his hands and knees towards the door, but the sound of rushing feet made him pause, eyes going for another possible exit. The vent! He takes off the vent covering seeing a briefcase that may be full of possibilities for him. He smirked, pushing it through the vent first as he followed.

The sound of bone snapping made him pause, but he knew that it must have been Hazel as Five just darkly laughed. Klaus was not surprised at all as he crawled through the vents, ignoring possible sounds behind him. He needed out, and out fast.

Five snaps Hazels arm easily after taking a stinging knife wound to his shoulder. _Vanya’s gonna be pissed_ , was his only thought.

“Give up, old man.” Hazel huffed through clenched teeth.

Five had to give him credit where credits due, the man was still standing after going head to toe with him.

Door bursts open, distracting Five as Eudora comes in with a gun pointed at him.

Hazel takes the little standoff as his que to leave, which he does much to Five’s annoyance, as the big man passes the detective with a quick fake thank you. _LEAVING OUT THE POLICE HELD FUCKING DOOR!_ He wanted to shout, but he refrained, “I can explain?” Five said with hands starting to raise.

“Stay there!” She pointed the gun at his chest as she reached for her radio, which Five knew he could disarm at of her hands, but he refrained.

Just by a thread.

Maybe he was getting soft. He smirked, “But I have a magic trick for you. Look there!” He pointed to another wall, making her eyes drift towards the spot giving him enough time to jump out of there.

* * *

“Did you find him?” Was the first thing Vanya asked him once he had jumped to her apartment. That was until she saw the blood pooling on his shirt which led him to be pushed onto the toilet seat in her small bathroom to get stitched up. For the time being, her thoughts pushed Leonard's words away to focus.

“Yeaah, but he escaped.” Five yawned, “Probably back at the mansion.”

Vanya just gently smacked his uninjured arm, “You didn’t make sure?”

His words came out fast, feeling foolish, “I had more important things on mind.” Looks at Vanya with a knowing glance, “and also Diego’s girlfriend—"

“ _Ex_ -girlfriend.” She states as she pulled another stitch through.

“…Yeah?” He questioned confused; how would Vanya know that. Didn’t they not keep in touch at all? “Well, she came bursting through the door. Had to give her an old magic trick to leave.” He states with a hake of his head.

She groaned almost as if in pain, “Oh Five, you didn’t.”

He chuckled at his misery, “What it’s a classic!” he exclaimed which earned him another swat but harder this time, “ouch!” his says pitifully, with big puppy eyes at her.

She only shook her head, “I think you purposely get hurt, cuz you like me playing your nurse.” She told him with a small smirk, pulling another stitch through to finish closing the wound. It was terribly deep, making her a little worried. Yet, he stayed where she put him with no questions asked.

“Well, you always had the _softest_ touch.” He told her, eyes going over her once more.

She shoves him, then pulls him closer to kiss his head with a small giggle still clinging to her lips.

He yawned once more, “We’ll see him in the morning, okay? First thing. Just…I’m tired for all the s—"

“That’s it. Your sleeping on the couch.”

“No, I’m not.” He told her defiantly. He was not going to spend the night losing more sleep on the couch, with Vanya in another room.

She paused, taking him in, those green eyes flashing with more amusement than when he first came back to them.

“No,” She shook her head softly, kissing him once more, “no you’re not.”


	11. A Lover of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So. I know, its been like a week since i've updated. Work sucks, just to let you all know. but i got two days off, so hopefully (if they don't call me in)  
> This chapter is fluff, some little angst, and lotta love.  
> Also this is a big chapter. mostly because i don't know when will the next update will be happening.  
> Also i'm sorry for whats about to happen.

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Eleven: _A lover of Life_

_" What's it really for if it's not yours and it's not mine? _

_This victory is not what I hoped for... _

_ H_ _ow was I to know that everything would end up like this? _

_ Survival of the fittest... _ _of sorts _

_ So I've become the bringer of death_

_ A lover of life _

_ The one who guards from the dark of the night _

_ I'll be the hammer of war Justice & mercy don't live side by side _

_ So in retribution I abide _

_ I'll tip the scales to justice's end but can it make amends?"_

The Guardian (Ellie's Song)

by: Shawn James

Five woke before Vanya once more as the sun peaked through her window shades. The sounds of the city coming alive as the sun started to brighten on the horizon. He did not think he would make it back ever. He had dreamt of the apocalypse landscape once more, but this time it was duller and more faded. He counted that as a small mercy.

He was laying on his back with Vanya draped over him like a prize possession she was not willing to part with. His hand brushed over her bare shoulder, which she responded with a content hum. He smirked to himself, eyes going to his wallet on the nightstand before reaching out to grab the object in the secret compartment there.

A small delicate ring fell out of the hidden place, into his waiting palm. He stared at it mischievously, taking Vanya’s hand that was on his chest to place the ring on her finger, as slowly as he could. Once it sat comfortably on her finger like it already belonged the simmering in his soul seemed to finally settle since coming back.

No one could mistake who she belonged to anymore.

As she mumbled in her sleep as if still trying to fight the feeling of rising from her slumber, he knew it was time to start the day as he slowly got up from under her. Her arm still stretched out to him as it fell back to the bed.

But first, coffee.

And what ever else she had in her apartment.

He wanted to wince, another long list of things he had to put on the side burners, as he grabbed his boxers and made his way into the kitchen. _Hopefully_ , he thought as a yawn startled him more into awareness, _she’ll be fine with some eggs. Since that seems like all she has._

In the bedroom, Vanya woke slowly as she could. She had no where to be at this moment. She stretched out, letting a loose moan of please to pass her lips before collapsing back into the bed; alone. _Shit, again?_ She sat up in bed, looking at the disarray of clothing still on the floor (and some of her belongs as well—which is weird), making her cheeks darken with remembrance of last night.

He did not leave.

Quickly getting up from the bed, pulling on his shirt once again, she made her way into the kitchen, “’Oring. You forgot the sticky note.” She grumbled out, attaching herself to his back like a barnacle. She needed another reassurance that he was there with her once more. _He’ll leave_ , a small whisper came from within herself, _he will go again, just you watch._

Wanting to shake herself of those darker and cruel words, she rubbed her head into his back sighing at the feel of him.

She felt the vibrations of his laughter, “Morning, I figured that since I did not leave the apartment it would be fine.” He told her softly, going back to the task of making them breakfast it seemed to her. Still, she wanted to get back at him for leaving the bed anyways, as her hands started to drift up and down his abdomen. It made his breath hitch, “Vanya,” he started off sternly, “I’m trying to make you food.”

She had to stand on her tippy toes and place her chin on his shoulder to look over at the food he was trying to prepare, “Here let me, you will probably burn them.”

“ _Please.”_ He snorted.

“Really? Want to test that theory?” She playfully said, going to kiss the side of his neck, making his knees wobble a little, then he was gone in a flash of blue and was behind her instead, “See?” She taunted him as she went to finish making the eggs.

“Maybe I like being the one to torment you.” He states as his hands were already coming to unbutton the shirt at the top. His lips going to her neck, as she tilted her head to give him more access. It made her groan, that stirred the beast within him to do more. His hand coming to play with a nipple through the shirt, mouth trailing to the edge of her shoulder as the shirt started to fall off. She leaned into him more, making him want to just jump them back to bed but he had a theory to win. ( _Vanya was a lady after all, she deserved to be ravished in a bed, not in the kitchen…with knifes all around them_ , his mind faulted himself)

The smell of burnt eggs was his victory.

“Don’t say it.” She threatened, though a bubble of laughs were underneath those words as she took the pan to the sink with a clunk. She just stared at the pan in the sink, which would not do for Five.

He just turned her around, staring smugly at her instead which turned slightly scared as she wasn’t staring at the pan itself, but the ring on her finger.

She shakily held her hand out to him, almost afraid that the ring would bite her, “Five, what’s this?”

“Call it a deterrent.” He told her, trying to see behind her curtain of emotions that were flying on her face. Without her pills it seemed that her emotions were much deeper than he would have guessed, which sent him a little bit on edge with worry.

“An engagement ring, Five? Seriously? Where did you even get this?” She questioned, stepping a little bit closer to him.

He took that as a good sign, sighing, “I think about fifteen or so years in the apocalypse I found it. I thought that if I would…ever…make it back I would make sure it never left your finger.”

“Five…usually people ask first.”

His heart skipped a beat, “I had forty-five years to come to terms with what I feel for you, Vanya. Are you saying that you would have said no?”

“NO, no, no. I just…” She sighed unsure of her own words, “wait your fifty-eight?”

He could see through her tactic, with a groan, “Of course you would pick that out,” He could see that the ring was giving her a hesitance, “I could take—”

“No! Remember: no take backs. It’s just—usual people ask still, Five.” She exclaimed, pulling her hand to her chest to make sure he didn’t take it from her, “Wow, I’m going to be marrying an old man. How _old_ fashion.” She states more to herself trying to lighten up the mood a little.

“Well, I’m not a usual person, Vanya.” He did not want to make this into an argument as well as she. Coming still to bite her neck as a warning, “I’ll show you _old_ fashion,” but got confused when she chuckled at him.

“ _Oh_ , I know that.” She seemed to be unsure of something, but decided with a definitive nod of her head, “Wait here.” She commanded him, going back to her bedroom.

He waited, impatiently for her return.

He did not have to wait long, as she came back with something in her hand, “Here.” She shoved her hand out, eyes not meeting his. His heart clench painfully in his chest to the thought she did not want this after all.

His hand waited for the familiar feel of the small ring but was stunned with another heavier ring, a simple gold man’s ring.

The beast inside rumbled and shook as he turned the ring over to look at it, which made Vanya nervous. For the first time in a long while, her voice came to her with a rush of words, “Look, you don’t have to wear it. I just was going by this jewelry shop when I was like twenty-five or so, and it caught my eye. It was also around the time when the thought of you ever coming ho—”

He kissed her thoroughly, in a hungry need for a few moments. They parted breathless, “I will wear it. I won’t take it off, until don’t love you anymore. Which is impossible to do.”

She smiled brightly, and as he looked in her eyes, he swore that they almost glowed for a second with a spark, “Then we should get dressed.” She cleared her throat, the plans for today needed to be delt with first, “We have to go to the mansion…even though I really do not want to…to find Klaus.”

He nodded gravely, “I also need to find a way to deal with our assassin, Hazel.” He looked back at the dirty pan in the sink, “I guess I can make more eggs.”

She laughed, “Yeah probably not a good idea,” she continued when she saw his inquisitive look, “I don’t remember when I bought those eggs, honestly. I also burnt them, so we didn’t have to test the expiration.” She explained.

He chuckled, shaking his head, “We’ll stop for food on our way then,” A sharp bark brought them both to look at the dog that had finally woken itself, “And food for him too.”

“I guess we’ll have to take him with us.” She commented as the dog made his way over, “What a good boy.” She complimented the dog. “Also,” she looked up at Five, “your explaining it whenever someone asks about the rings.” She told him sweetly.

 _And they say I am a sadist_ , “Hmm, of course dear.”

They got dressed rather quickly, both wanting their lists to shrink by the end of the day so they can enjoy each other’s company once more. The dog wiggling between them both, happy for some attention.

“Do you have anything else that needs to be done today?” Five asked as they made their way to the door finally. He pulled her coat off the rack holding it open for her to put on which she did gracefully.

“Yeah,” She said turning around, then reached around him for her violin, “Got rehearsal.”

He started to open the door, “I wa—” He was cut off by her phone ringing.

“Shit.” She sighed, going back to get the phone, “Hello? No? I haven’t seen her since the last practice…we don’t talk…of course I’ll try out, yes…at one? Of course, thank you.” She hung up in a slight daze to turn to Five with the same expression, “That was my conductor. Apparently, Helen Cho is missing.” She shook her head, “She’s first chair which is—”

Five gave her a duh look, “I know what first chair is Vanya. What are you doing at one?”

“He wanted to know if I would want to try out for first chair.” She told him with a half a huff, “I don’t know if I want to try though.”

He smiled dazzled, “Vanya, I’ve heard you play. You will get the spot, I know it. You’ll blow them away with your playing.”

* * *

Unlike Five, Klaus did not have a good morning. His started with reappearing on a bus in startling sun. He was dazed and tears were filling his eyes. The blood on his hands was dry and cracking as he clenched his fingers around the briefcase.

He was back.

His throat felt it was being squeezed in a tourniquet as the bus finally stopped at its next station. He got up with others that were leaving with the memory of Dave dying in front of him. The sound of bombs dropping overtook the sound of the bus backfiring, making him fall to his knees in grief.

He cried.

Ben wasn’t around him, and his lover was shot in front of him.

How was he supposed to move on?

The briefcase weighted heavily in his hand, rage over taking him as he brought it up over his head to smash it on the ground, over and over. It was the stupid briefcases fault anyways, with it brought him nothing but pain and misery.

Love.

The case exploded in fire, sending him to trip a little way away. He shielded his eyes, as a scratched hysteretic laugh crawled from him, broken.

Now, what was he supposed to do now?

He mindlessly made his way, through the ever-crowding streets, people only giving him casual glances at him. Probably because he still had blood caking his hands, or the look of despair clearly written on him.

Or they recognized him from the Academy.

Those were the worst.

Yet still; his feet carried him to the mansion without any preamble. They just knew it automatically where to go, his brain shutting down. He flinched a little when one person tried to touch him, making the person regret trying to help. He would feel bad, yet it was like he was dosed in the pills Vanya took. Nothing was escaping his mental guard.

He needed a bubble bath to help.

(It did not)

The sounds of faraway guns being unloaded swirled in his brain, as he tried to shake off the image.

* * *

They reached the Academy’s door after a quick breakfast from Griddy’s Doughnuts and stopping at a local pet food store. The doors stood as if trying to stare down at them like father always did. The walls scaled just as high as when they were kids, loomed over them with grey cement that was cracking in certain spots. Frayed like their family.

“Let’s get this over with.” Vanya sighed, pulling on Fives hand that was entwined with hers, the other on the leash.

Pogo was the face that greeted them, coming from what looked like the sitting room. He had a cheerfulness to him until his footsteps paused, eyes on the dog, “Good morning—is that a dog?”

They both ignored Pogo for the time being, other things on their minds.

“I’ll check his room,” Vanya states as she makes her way up the staircase with the dog by her side without a backwards glance.

“I’ll check the kitchen.” He called to her before disappearing in a flash of blue.

Pogo just stared at the still open front door, then shook his head, “ _Children_.”

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Vanya found him first, as he was pulling on a shirt. She did not waste anytime before wrapping him in a hug, “Thank God you’re alright!” She breathed out into his ear, shocking him with the feeling of his sister in his arms.

Klaus, himself was a touchy-feely man, he knows that…but it still felt weird to him to have her in his arms. _When was the last time they ever hugged?_ He changed that quickly, as he wrapped his arms around her. She was always so small, but it made his heart bleed a little thinking that her weight had definitely gotten lighter. He pulled her even closer.

He looked down startled when he felt a wet nose press against him but made no comment at the dog.

He has seen weirder things happen around his family…

But in all seriousness…

Where would the dog come from?

He did not voice the thought out loud as the dog circled them, rubbing at the back of his legs in a calming motion to which Klaus wanted to keep the puppy forever if he could. Klaus still could not see Ben, and it made him slightly nervous that his brother had just decided to go into the light. But for now,…he’ll take his sisters attention.

“Hey Vanny.” He muttered to her carefully. His head was starting to pound something fierce. His eyes drifted to the hallway as he watched Five clearly take in the bloody mess he left behind in the bathroom; he shook his head softly when their eyes connected. “You okay?” She mumbled to him once she let go to look him over.

“Yeah, long night.” He yawned out, tiredly.

Five took that as his chance to make his way into the conversation, “More than one from the looks of it.” He commented, his eyes doing the same once over as Vanya’s did. He would have appreciated their concern if his head didn’t feel like a jackhammer was placed on it, “Don’t remember the dog tags either.”

“Yeah, they belonged to a friend.” He muttered out, without his usual flare, fingers going to run over the tags.

Klaus watched as Vanya took another step back, giving him a quizzical raise of an eyebrow, “How about that new tattoo?”

Klaus wanted to laugh at her stance, in the same movement Five had done to him but did not. He just flapped his hand, almost to wave the question away, “You know, I don’t totally remember even getting it.” He sighed, hoping they would just leave it alone. He sat on his bed, looking up at them, like a matching set and he almost started to bawl. Vanya must have seen it (which scared him a little, Vanny was never this clear headed—especially in the last couple of years) as she came to sit next to him, rubbing his shoulder in sympathy, “Like I said, it was a long night.”

His voice wobbled, as she shushed him then pulled him into her embrace like she used to do when he would stay the night at her place. He really missed his sister. The dog followed in her lead to place its head in his lap. It was so soft to the touch when he carted his fingers through its fur. He cooed.

“You did it, didn’t you?” Five stated in a little bit of excitement which almost made Klaus flinch.

“What are you talkin’ about?” He mumbled out, not removing his head from Vanya’s shoulder nor the dogs’ head. She was very comfortable to rest upon as well as the dog was super sweet as he gently rubbed his cheek on her shoulder then patted the dogs head some more, which made Five give him a sharp glare.

Klaus missed that from when they were younger.

It was always so easy to rile up Five, at least for him. He just had to get close to touching Vanya and it was like the walls on Five cracked with a beast trying to keep his prized possession his.

Klaus always found it super hilarious.

Made him shoot his brother an all-knowing smile to which Five just rolled his eyes.

It seemed that he was now touching two of what Five deemed was in his possession.

“I can recognize the symptoms, you know, Klaus.” Five told him point blank.

 _Shit,_ Klaus thought, _I guess you cannot fool a time traveler but you sure as hell can try,_ “Symptoms of what?” He asked in total fake obliviousness which got the reward of a small Vanya laugh. It made his chest warm just a little since his return this morning. His emotions also seemed to be thawing as he talked.

Five scoffed, turning his eyes to Vanya who just shrugged, “The jet lag. Full body itch. The headache that feels like a vice is clenched around your brain. You gonna tell us about it?”

Klaus wanted for the first time to hit his brother, “Your pals, when they broke into the house and couldn’t find you well…they took me…” He started grumbling his way through the story he did not want to tell. Yet, it looked like Five already figured it out with a sharp nod from him.

“And in return, you stole their briefcase.” Five finished for him.

“Yeah, well.” He exhaled, settling even more onto Vanya which she took with an arm coming to circle his shoulders instead. He closed his eyes wistful, “I thought there was money in it, or I could pawn it, you know, whatever. And then I opened it.”

He did not need to open his eyes to know that got Five excited, “And the next thing you know, you were…where? Or should I say when?” Five questioned.

Vanya just pulled Klaus tighter, “Five, not helping.” She snapped at him to which it seemed to calm him down enough to take in Klaus once more.

Klaus sighed again, opening his eyes to side glare at Five, “What difference does it make?”

“What diff—uh—okay, how long were you gone?”

Klaus finally lifted his head from Vanya’s shoulder, eyes going to hers to answer, “Almost a year.” He whispered to her, but just loud enough for Five to get.

“A year?” She questioned him, worried as her eyes once again scanned him over. This is what makes her his favorite sibling. She does not ask annoying questions…unlike SOME of his siblings.

“Do you know what this means?” Five said to them both, to which he did not seem like he wanted a response.

Yet, Klaus gave him one with sarcasm, “Yeah, I’m ten months older now.” Klaus chuckled, as he nudged Vanya and she returned with one of her own. He almost wanted to comment on the fact that she was…well down to Earth in a sense. He could see even in her own quiet playfulness that she was coming out of the shell she placed herself in when Five disappeared. Klaus wanted to dance as he could tell by the glow, they both were wearing shamelessly that they were finally together.

“No, this isn’t any sort of joke, Klaus. Hazel will do whatever he can to get that briefcase.” Five told him in all seriousness, “Where is it now?” he demanded.

“Gone. I destroyed it. _Poof_.” He could again hear helicopter blades take over the sound of the fans from above. He shuddered as he finally got up from his bed to leave Vanya’s side.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Five seemed ready to pull out his hair in frustration. He could have used it as leverage, or blackmail. His eyes going towards Vanya’s to which hers were more focused on their brothers.

Klaus shot back, “What do you care?”

“I needed that---I could—"

“Where you going?” Vanya asked, cutting off a no doubt snarky remark from Five.

“Interrogation’s over and I need…I need to leave.” Klaus then walked out the room to which Five followed stubbornly wanting his answers after a few moments of telling Vanya to stay put to which she scuffed but succumbed to his request.

“You look like shit.” Was the first thing Diego said to Klaus all as he made his way down the grand staircase.

“Thanks, feel like it too.” Klaus mumbled making his way into the sitting room to the liquor cabinet. Diego followed him cautiously, “Have you seen Five?” to which Klaus responded with, “yeah he’s upstairs...” as he broke the front glass of the cabinet, ignoring the shatter glass to get what he wanted most, “wait what are you doing?” His brother questioned him as he downed some burning liquor without remorse.

“You okay?” Diego rephrased after a moment of silently watching as Klaus kept taking another large gulp of the alcohol. “Wow this is a first. Remind me, the last time you were this quiet we were 13. How long was that for again?”

“Eight weeks.” The medium mumbled sullen.

“Eight weeks of pure bliss.” Diego sighed wistfully.

“ENOUGH Number two.” Five states as he appears in a blue flash between them with Vanya and the dog, to which she went to Klaus to wrap him in a hug once more with the dog laying its head on Klaus’s lap.

Diego pulled aside Five, ignoring the glare he got from touching his brother as he glanced back at the two that finally sat down on one of the couches, “He doesn’t seem alright? He okay?” Diego watched two of huddle together.

Five yanked his arm away from Diego, not liking the feeling of touch from anyone other than Vanya. It made him go into fight mode, and it made his skin crawl with the thought of actually killing his brothers over that fact, “Oh. He just time travelled is all.” He said as airily as he could. He had wanted to talk to Klaus alone but then Vanya had heard (he still not sure how she heard when he did not hear a thing) Diego talk so he brought all of them in the middle of what could have been an argument in the making. Five did not want Klaus to be standoffish and leave…especially with days counting down left.

Diego slanted his eyes at him, “He’s crying like a baby?” He commented to which Five had to look at the two on the couch. He sighed internally. He was, but it seemed that Vanya was handling it nicely enough, He was not good with emotions (outside his own and somewhat Vanyas) that they make him nervous. Klaus had always been the more emotional of the boys…and that included Ben.

“Klaus, it’s okay…” Vanya tried to calm him down.

“No, it’s not! I lost someone, alright!” He breathes, making the two brothers to stare at them, “the only…the only person I have loved truly more than myself.” His eyes went to hers, ashamed, “and I’m so, so sorry Vanny. I’m _so_ sorry for leaving you alone to deal with this kind of hurt.”

She flinched away, casting her eyes away from them all, no words coming to her lips.

Silence fell on the group.

“Well, you’re luckier than most, Klaus.” Diego started off, anger seemed to rise within him, “At least when they die, you can see them whenever you want. Our dear brother killed my friend!”

Klaus turned to Five, but his were only on Vanya’s form. She did turn at the statement, but her eyes did not reach his. It made Five’s heart clenched with guilt. He may have been alone in the barren wasteland of the end times but at least he had some knowledge that they all lived lives.

She never did.

She had to live the misery of the unknown.

He shook his head of those thoughts, “The detective thought I was killing the assassins (which I was) you failed at stopping. Yeah no, she was still breathing through her windpipes when I left.” He stated, mind going back to the hotel room, analyzing the scene, “…maybe Hazel came back to finish the job?” Then Five vanished, thinking of numbers to crunch, but also to get away from the claustrophobic feeling of emotions in the room. Maybe he could use the numbers to stop the apocalypse? Just kill one person.

“Great.” Klaus groaned in retort at the blue flash, “Now we’re dealing with super assassins, could this day get any worse?” He questioned the universe.

“Oh good, Vanya you’re here. I need to speak with you.” Allison’s voice carried into the room as she seemed to appear like vaper, “ _Alone_.”

“Spoke to soon.” Vanya muttered to Klaus and told the dog to stay, she got up to follow Allison through the doors to have a private conversation.

Vanya could see she was trying hard to come up with words once they walked a decent distance away from the boys so they could not eavesdrop. And she had a thought that crossed her mind that she should help her out but shook internally at the notion. She would stand tall, just like Five taught her.

Allison sighed finally, her shoulders falling, “Look. I am sorry. Really sorry that I never noticed. I should have never said anything about Leonard and such to Five. I am sorry. I think…some part of me was jealous for what you always had with five. And I know that these past couple of years have not been good for you…look I—”

Vanya stopped her from going much further in her stammering already knowing this first ever real attempt at an apology seemed to be stuck in her throat, “See right there...that's apparently what sisters do, they get jealous. Plus, I was not going to stay mad long. We’re family.” So, maybe Vanya did not want to stand much taller, “beside I think we’ve all said some pretty fucked up shit…sorry for the things I’ve said. I guess we’re even.”

Allison laughed, hugging Vanya tighter, “Like none of it wasn’t true.” Allison pulled away first, “I can’t believe you left the Academy first.” She tried to lighten the mood.

Vanya just shifted, “Yeah, well. I didn’t have a choice as dad sent me to an all-girls boarding school so…”

They fell into an awkward silence, before they giggled together.

“God, what an asshole.” Allison commented, “So, sisters?”

“Sisters.” Vanya agreed, though taking it with a grain of salt, “Well, until some else comes up and we're at each other’s throat again.”

She watched as Allison flinched, “Fair enough.” She started slow, “there’s something I need to tell you…about Leonard. I was just in the library looking him up and—”

“What, why would you do that?”

“Vanya,” Allison scoffed, moving a safer distance. There was something stirring in Vanya’s eyes that made her wary, “There are records of literally everything. I mean, you look me up and there’s miles—”

“You’re one of the most famous people on the planet.” Vanya shot back harshly.

“Okay.” Allison cautiously raised her hand in peace, “bad example. My point is, that there should be some kind of record of him, but all I could find was a photo and his name in the phone book. Its like he didn’t exist—”

“You are unbelievable, you’re trying to dig up dirt on a guy that is my friend? Who does that? Christ I’m not even dating him! I would expect this type of behavior from Five, not you.” Vanya exclaimed as quietly as she could to not rouse the others to their bickering.

“Look, I-I know. But I’ve had my fair share of stalkers and creeps. I don’t trust him.” Allison stammered out.

“No, it means you don’t trust me.” It felt like, her still very much shatter heart (which was starting to piece itself back together (Five helped)) fell apart. The ragged edges scaping on her torn soul as a searing hot fire burned deep within the darkness. It seems not only her siblings seemed to think she was just an ordinary person, but they also all thought she was brainless no less.

Of course, she saw the signs that Leonard was likely a creep, and she was already trying to separate from him. Yet, when a sibling says you should not hang with someone because they were bad, always makes you want to more.

Allison sighed, knowing she was pushing too much, “I’m just worried about you, is all.”

“Yeah, well save it for your actual kid, you’re not my mother.” With that statement, Vanya turned to find Five and Mr. Pennycrumb. She wanted to leave, preferably with them both.

She never wanted to return here again.

Besides she has an audition to get to.

Allison watched her ago, a sense of dread filling the pit of her stomach. She swears for almost a second, she thought Vanya’s eyes had a glowing white from within them.

* * *

“I think I did it, Delores.” Five told the mannequin as he calculated a couple last equations. He had put her in the closet for safe keeping and to make sure that his brainless siblings would not get their grubby hands on her again. And now that the air had cleared with Vanya in certain ways, he would like them to meet.

It was at that moment that Luther decided to grace Five with his presence, “Who you talking to? What is all this?” He questioned as he took in the scribbled numbers all over Five’s bedroom walls. It was a lot to take in.

“It’s a probability map.”

“Probability of what?” Questioned Luther, like a dog on a bone.

“Of whose death can save the world. I’ve narrowed it down to four.” He explained as much as he could. He did not (read: would not) have time to go into detail of it for him.

“Are you saying one of these four people causes the apocalypse?”

Five sighed, “No, I’m saying their death might prevent it.”

“Oh.” Luther chuckled, then paused, “Not following.”

“Time is fickle, Luther.” Five just had explain now, “the slightest alteration in events can lead to massively different outcomes in the time continuum. The butterfly effects. So, all I must do is find the people with the greatest probability of impacting the timeline, wherever they may be, and kill them.” He told him, as simply as he could. He wanted this all to be over with quickly more so after what he had heard (and unspoken) from Klaus. He takes out his worn copy of Vanya’s book to write his findings, the pages almost unrecognizable with both her words and his scribbles.

“Milton Greene,” Luther read off, “So he a terrorist or drug smuggler?”

 _Oh Luther, if only things worked out that way,_ he thought sickly, “No, I think maybe a gardener or something.”

“You can’t be serious.” Luther gave him distinguished look of him being clearly insane. (he was…well. Mostly?) “This is madness, Five. Have you actually thought this through,” Luther paused in his righteous rambling as he watched Five get the gun from under his bed, “we-where’d you get that?”

“From dad’s room. I think he used it to shoot a rhinoceros. Funny, its like the one I used at work. Nice shoulder fit and exceptionally reliable.” He commented, in blazon cold fashion as if he were talking about the weather.

“Work?” Number One questioned, before changing his line of questioning, “no wait—you can’t…this guy is just an innocent man. You can’t just kill him like that.”

“It is basic math.” Five stated for him. “His life for billions. Besides if I did nothing. He’d be dead in four days anyway. The apocalypse won’t spare anyone.”

 _Apocalypse?_ Luther pondered, “We don’t do this kind of thing.” He felt like he should remind his brother. Even after all these years, Five will forever be the pragmatic of the team.

Five gave him in incredulous look, “Seriously Luther? You’ve thrown men threw windows, leaving them in a much similar sate.”

“B-b-ut they were the bad guys.”

“Grow up Luther. We aren’t kids anymore.” Five wanted to groan at his brother. Perhaps staying with father until he was an adult and then spending four years on the moon was not a good idea for him after all. “There are no good or bad people, just _people_. Doing their usual best…or worst I guess depending. Besides, **WE** are not doing anything. I **AM**.” He felt the need to remind both his brother and as well as himself that he was going to kill someone. Again.

“I can’t just let you go and kill innocent people, Five. You know that. No matter how many lives you’ll potentially save.”

Five scoffed, “Well, good luck stopping me.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” He states, picking up Delores to hold her out the window.

He swung the gun around to aim right at Luther, feeling fury rise within him, “Put…her…down.” He commanded his brother through clenched teeth, finger ready on the trigger if he so much as thought of dropping her.

They stare at each other in a standoff.

“What’s going on?” Vanya’s voice carried behind him, making him shiver but his eyes never left his target. He could tell just by her strained voice, something (again) must have happened. Dam them all to hell.

“Vanya, leave.” Luther pleaded, eyes round with worry for her.

As if Five would point a gun at her, he almost wanted to scoff.

She ignored Luther’s pleading to come by Five’s side instead, “Five.” Just his name was enough to want to spill the beans of the situation.

“Delores.”

His only response.

“Shit, fuck, Luther.” She quickly turned towards the man by the window. She could clearly see a mannequin hanging outside by the neck, “put her down!” She commanded her brother, but he was also just a stubborn as Five (when they were younger, Vanya always thought they acted in almost the same way) so she stepped between the barrel of the gun, and Luther, “Five if you’re gonna aim at him at least make sure you’ll actually pull it.” She taunted Five, arms crossing.

He gawked appalled that she would put herself in danger like that, pulling the gun away just as quickly. “Vanya?” He questioned her sanity. 

She just stared in his eyes, amusement slightly showing through, but her voice was like steel. She did not even turn to see if Luther would follow her simple command, “Luther, now.”

“Fine, but Vanya—” Luther started, as he pulled the mannequin inside once again, which disappeared from his grasp as Five spatial jumped to grab it.

Vanya watched as Five cradled the doll with careful delicacy for a moment, “I don’t want to hear it, seriously.” She told Luther softly, before going to Five to touch his shoulder, “I have to go, my audition…” She could see he needed a moment of reassurance from Delores as he did not even look up from the painted face of the doll. A more bitter pill than her meds, she would have to take in the knowing truth. He really did love Delores.

 _Was it more than what they have?_ She wondered, as she made her way out the door without a glance back. ( _Of course, he spent years with her…your nothing_ )

The two brothers were quiet once more, staring at one another as they listened to her ghostly steps fade away.

Five had felt Vanya leave his side, but his heart still clenched at the thought that Luther had possibly damaged Delores more than she already was. _Oh, my love…you fool,_ she commented from her painted lips. He wanted to question her on that, but she had fallen silent once more.

“Look,” Luther sighed, “I know you are still a good person Five. Otherwise you would not risk coming back here to save us all…from whatever’s going to happen. But you are not on your own anymore.”

Five paused, his thumb caressing Delores’s stiff neck as his mind calculated another possibility, “There is one way. But it is just about impossible.” He admitted.

“More impossible than what brought you back here?”

Five did have to concede, Luther was absolutely fucking right.

* * *

Since neither Vanya nor Allison reappeared after their little chat, the two brothers decided to head out, which included a fury tag along since Klaus pouted until Diego left the dog into the back of his car.

“Bingo.” Diego states as he caught sight of the assassin.

“You do know,” Klaus started controversially, as he petted the dogs head that was laying on the center console, “that killing this person is not gonna make you feel any better.” He laid it out, taking another swig of alcohol from the bottle he stole from father liquor cabinet. He was dead anyways; it was not like he could yell at him anymore.

He quickly looked in the rearview, seeing just silent Ben watching him from the back with judgement clear in his eyes. Yet, when Klaus caught a peek of him before he was clearly trying to pet the dog.

‘ _Yeah, though I’m incredibly happy that you’re back Klaus…I’m still confused on the dog part of this equation_.’ Ben commented from the back finally as if he could not hold back from talking, his hand once more going through the dog’s body. Klaus wanted to laugh in joy at hearing his brothers voice once more but was stopped by Diego’s voice instead.

“Yeah, but when it’s done…I’ll sleep like a baby.” His brother told him, with a half-smile.

Klaus scoffed, “Oh, sure you will.”

“Stay in the car.” Diego tried to command him as he started to make his way out of the car.

“What are you talking about?” Klaus almost squealed. “I’m sure as hell going with you, that guy tortured me!”

“I have a plan.”

Klaus and even the dog looked at Diego’s figure get smaller with a sigh.

‘ _I don’t think he has a plan_.’ Ben told him starkly as he appeared in the driver’s seat, ‘ _we gonna have to rescue him_.’

“Ugh. Like always.” Klaus took another swig, before opening the door. The dog whined softly in the back seat, “nope. You stay. Five would kill us even more so if you got hurt.”

The dog whined once more, tapping his paw on the console.

“Yeah I know, sucks to be the lookout, but someone’s gonn—great now I’m talking to animals.” Klaus mumbled under his breath, shutting the door and following the path that his brother just went on. He caught up to him in no time. “So, what exactly is the plan here, big guy?” He wanted to laugh at Diego’s startled jump but refrained.

“I told you to wait in the car.”

“Yeah, but you also told me that licking a nine-volt battery would give me pubes, so.” When he got a glare from his brothers, “plus technically we all know that my brain only follows our one true leader, which is our dark knight, Number Five.” He told him dramatically.

“We were eight.” Diego whispered back, then turned to him, “No, I need you to listen to me, okay? Now, go back to the car. If I do not come out in two minutes, that means I’m dead, probably. So, if that happens, go get help. Okay?”

“Yeah, okay, okay, okay.” He agreed when he saw the look on his face, yet when he twisted to make his way down the stairs once more, shots rang out. Diego groans next to him, making Klaus pull him even tighter next to the concrete wall, “Oh man, see that? You used to think I was an idiot.” He retorted as the sound of peeling out tried rang through the parking lot and then into the distance.

“No, I still think you are.” His brother groaned out, as he went to put pressure on his arm.

Klaus just chuckles.

“Shit! He’s getting away.” His brother exclaimed, bolting down the stairs.

“You’re welcome, by the way!” Klaus shouted at him.

Klaus did not even make it to the car before seeing the tires had been slashed. Maybe his theory of super assassin was true all along, “So, was this all part of your master plan?” He joked as he tried to get his breath.

‘ _I want to believe it so was part of his master plan_.’ Ben jeered from inside the car with a dazzling smile that Klaus had missed.

“Shut up!” His brother barked at him

The dog barked from within the car, before hanging its head out the window with almost the biggest grin on its face.

“On the Brightside, they didn’t take Five’s dog.” Klaus commented.

* * *

Vanya walked into the audition nervous, as the creeping feeling of anxiety came over her once more. She did not have Five there nor the stupid dog to calm her down, and she most certainly did not have time to stop by her apartment for her pills. She waited just outside the auditorium, listening to the auditions of others playing their hearts out.

Then finally it was her turn.

She softly made her way onto the stage, it still felt like her footsteps were echoing loudly to her own ears, making her gulp and tighten her grip on her violin.

The conductor was not even glancing up at her until she was in the center of the stage to which he huffed, “what is your name again?”

“Vanya.” She spoke softly, afraid of her voice carrying more than it should.

“Louder, please.” He demanded, making something in her stir.

“Vanya Hargreeves.” She states louder with a little waver.

“Right.” He sighed displease, “Well?” he inquired exhausted.

She took that as her sign to start, so she took a shaky breath eyes falling to the strings, before they locked on the ring Five had given her. It gave her the strength to play through her fear. As she stuck the first cord. It was shaky, and off key making her wince internally. She closed her eyes, trying to bring a good enough memory to help her through the over whelming dread that she wouldn’t be good enough ( _you’re just ordinary, Number Seven_!).

She did.

Her mind more focused on that memory that her soul started to lift, and she felt herself liven with it. The music began to pick up, her soul seeped into the feeling of that day as a light seemed to heal a little bit of her. She smiled softly, as a soft breeze began playing with her hair (the AC must have turned on), as the notes calmly played out the instrument as if the notes had become a part of her spirit.

Then, it was over, and the conductor was clapping his hands with a wide smile on his face.

* * *

Luther and Five drove quietly to the destination for the meet up on a deserted road.

Five sighed, “You know I never enjoyed it.” He started, his eyes watching the land speed by then slow as they reach their end. His fingers played with the gold band on his hand, twirling it on his finger in nervous energy.

He honestly did not know how this would turn out.

It frightened him a little, but the band on his hand helped him hope for the better.

“What?”

“The killing.” He went on to explain, “I mean, I was…I was good at my work, and I…I took pride in it. But it never gave me pleasure.” He felt his mind render back to those days of the barren wastelands, and Delores being his only companion. He sighed again. “I think it was all those years alone. Solitude can do funny things to the mind.” He admitted to his brother softly, his fingers still twirling the ring. _I hope that Vanya gets first chair_ , he thought offhandedly. 

“Yeah, well. You were gone for such a long time. I only spent four years on the moon, but that was more than enough.” Luther told him to commiserate with him, “It’s the being alone that breaks you.” He tacked on after a brief pause, then cleared his throat (made Five want to ask what happened, yet it wasn’t the time), “You think he’ll buy it?” he said to a more neutral topic.

“Well, what I do know is that he’s desperate. It is like a cop losing his gun. If the Commission finds out, well deep shit. Also, not to mention the fact that he would be stuck here until he gets it back. Which would suck since the worlds supposed to end.”

“Well, I should hold onto it.” Luther said with a short pat to the case. “In case they make a move on you.”

“Okay, Luther, but be careful. I mean, I’ve…” He hoped that he doesn’t die, he would like to actually spend more years with Vanya, “I’ve lived a long life, but…you? You’re still a young man. Got a whole life ahead of you. Don’t waste it.” He reminisced staring out the windshield again.

Luther blinked at him, “You know, the reason people think you’re crazy is probably because you say shit like that.”

“hmm…possibly.” Five agreed. A car approached from behind them on the stretch of road then slowly stopped in front of them a little way, “Here we go.” He muttered, climbing out of the car. He felt the blood rushing with excitement from this little play, yet; “If this all goes sideways, do me a favor?” He asked Luther, “Tell Delores and Vanya I’m sorry.” He left to go to Hazel before he could ask any questions, “The mask really necessary?”

“So where is the briefcase, old timer?” Hazel asked once he discarded his mask.

“Wow, that’s how you’re gonna start. I was thinking more on the lines of, asking how your arm is doing? But since you not one for small talk…you know, we can get right back in our car and call it a day.” Five gave him a mega watt smile that held his hidden daggers.

Hazel tried to not shudder, his arm throbbing in the old timer’s proximity, “You won’t even make it halfway there.” He quickly drew a gun at Five.

“Maybe.” Five pouted his lip, “But as I’m sure you found out in your previous foray; my brother is not your average giant. By the time you took him out, he’s smashed your precious briefcase to smithereens.” He swayed his head, “Plus, I was just about to give you credit for lasting against me, but again. I learn from past mistakes.”

“Fair enough.” Hazel conceded, “So how do we help each other?”

“I need you to get in contact with your superior. So, I can have a chat with her, face-to-face.” His smile grew, knowing that if Cha-Cha was still around it was be a different scene.

“About what?” Hazel inquired.

“I don’t believe that’s any of your concern, now is it?” He raised his eyebrow, thrusting his hands into his pocket as if he did not have a care in the world.

“Fine. Just do not tell her about, you know, the briefcase.” Hazel winced like a scolded kid.

Five just simply nodded his head, then went back to wait by Luther’s side. He sighs in relief that it was going so far so good. He leaned against the car, as the sun began to move, and shadows twirled on the ground.

“You gonna tell me about the ring?” Luther finally asked. He had been watching Five spin it like a nervous tick.

Five paused for a moment, “Vanya.”

“Say no more.” Luther commented, “You guys finally figured stuff out?”

“Wait you knew?” Five questioned. He would have thought that he would have ran to Father as soon as he found out about it.

“Five.” Luther gave him a bland look, “you were always so…possessive of things that were yours.” He shrugged, “and when Klaus was even trying to touch Vanya you would get the same look. And before you ask, I never told Father, but I think he—”

The sound of a truck came barreling down the road, making both brothers confused for a moment.

“Is that her?” Luther questioned Five, though it seemed like it wouldn’t given the same quizzical look he gave the truck.

“Nope,” Five told him, before seeing Klaus as he waved when he went by, “what the hell is he doing here?” Five then heard a bark as a flash of yellow could be spotted before the van had moved forward, “With my dog?” Fives heart began to panic at the thought that Vanya followed, but shook himself at that notion. She had told him that she was going to her auditions. But it still did not explain why Mr. Pennycrumb was with his idiot brothers.

“Go faster!” Diego complained hitting his head on the wall.

“You know I can’t drive!” Klaus laughed back at him, the dog coming to bark at his side, “yes, I agree…lets run this bastard over!”

‘WEE!’ Ben sat almost in front of the whole in shield making Klaus want to roll his eyes.

“Shit!” Hazel exclaimed throwing his body out of the way of the truck, as time started to slow down.

Five stepped away from the towering figure of Luther, to slowly creep forward.

“Neat trick, isn’t it?” The Handler spoke out, “Hello Five. You look good, all things considered.” She tried to dazzle him with a smile, but he just blinked at her instead to which she pouted before going along in her speech, “Feels like we met just yesterday.” She looked him once over, “Course, you were just a hair bit older then. Congratulations on the age regression, by the way. Throw us off your scent, very clever.” She clapped dramatically.

He derided, “Well, I wish I could take credit. I just miscalculated the time dilation projections a little, and…well you know.”

“You realize your efforts are futile.” She told him point blankly, “So why don’t you tell me what you really want?”

“Well, I want you to put a stop to it, of course. The apocalypse.”

She laughed hollow, “You realize what you’re asking for is next to impossible, even for me. What’s meant to be is meant to be. This fantasy you’ve been nurturing about summoning up your family to stop the apocalypse…is just that. A fantasy.” She paused, in a thrilling way, “I must say thought, we’re all quite astounded with your initiative, your…stick-to-itiveness, really…quite something. Which is why we want to offer you a new position back at the Commission, in management.”

He had to darkly chuckle, taking the gun out of his waistband to point it at her, “Sorry, what’s that now?” He was confused, they had a hit out on him, and now…they want him to work for them again? Sounds to good to be true.

“Come back to work for us again. You know it’s where you belong.” She taunted, moving a little closer as if she knew that she caught him in her web of lies. “you wouldn’t be in the correction division any longer. I am talking about the home office. You’re a distinguished professional in...tighter fit clothing I must say.” Once again, giving him a solid look over. It made his skin slither.

“And what about my family?” He prompted, eyes never leaving hers, watching like a predator.

“What about them?” She mocked with another harrowing laugh.

He gave her a duh look, “I want them to survive.”

The Handler sighed, looking at all of his brothers that were around them, “All of them?” She questioned as if he wasn’t sure.

“Yes, all of them.” He told her sternly.

“Well…I’ll see what I can do. But if they must live, we need something from you in return,” her eyes glided over his hand to his ring finger, “the ring perhaps?” She suggested.

He clenched his jaw, “No.”

“Come on, Five. Its just one little bitty ring…and I could save your family.” She gave her ultimatum as she placed her sunglasses back on her face. “Do we have a deal?” She jutted out her hand waiting.

* * *

Vanya left the Icarus theater late that night after rehearsal, but she was not really that tired. She felt wired up and she could not wait to go home. She just hoped that Five delt with what he needed, and he would bring Mr. Pennycrumb with him. She kind of felt bad for leaving him at the mansion with her brothers, but it wasn’t like she could’ve taken him into the theater with her.

She pulled her strap higher on her shoulder once more, not even caring that she would have to walk home in the dark for once.

“Hey!” A voice shouted just behind her, making her spin as anxiety shot through her for a moment.

“Oh, Leonard, hey!” She gave him a confused look, as lead started to fill her stomach, which she ignored, “What are you doing here?” She questioned him and it must have been the trick of low lighting at the fact that his eyes seemed to darken for a fraction.

“Oh, you know, just for a walk,” He said passively, “saw that they were doing auditions for the first chair? Wasn’t there a lady that was doing it thought?”

She eyed him, making sure not to go to darker parts of the streets. Her mind reeling with the thought that it was way too late for an evening stroll. “Well, she’s missing…and well we have a concert coming up this Friday. So, they held auditions for her spot.” She told him, as she stopped under the last streetlight on her way home. Her house being two more blocks away, “I tried out for it.”

“Oh.” He smiled down at her, “How’d it go?”

“I felt _alive_.” She felt her soul bubble with giddiness as she thought about how Five will react once she tells him, “I’ve never played without my medication before, so I was so nervous. But I don’t know, it was like…I was carried along by, um…a force.”

“Like an out-of-body experience.” He commented helpfully.

“Yeah, sort of.” She wanted to say it felt like a long lost part of herself, but she thought that would be better said in front of Five, “It’s just like I…I felt everything more fully, more deeply. And I got it.” She smiled at him.

He looked astonished, “You what?”

“I got first chair!”

“You did? That’s amazing! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you. After everything you’re been through. You deserve this.” He told her, then tried to in for a hug which she quickly avoided, awardly as always.

“Sorry, just I really have to get going…someone’s you know, waiting for me.” She reminded him.

“Yeah, of course. No worries.” He states, but makes no move to leave just yet, “you know you never told me his name, I’m curious.” He said.

Her mind was already in the apartment with Five, telling him how it all went down, that her tongue slipped with the information she did not wish to give, “Look I have to go, Five’s waiting for me.” She told him, moving to get around him.

“Five? As in Number Five of the Umbrella Academy?” He questioned confused before his eyes seemed to brighten, “the one that everyone thinks is dead? I’d loved to meet him!” He said putting his arm around her and pulling her along.

She held firm, digging her heels in. _It must have not caught up to him that technically he’s my brother,_ she thought in panic. “Look, it’s been a really long day. I’m just gonna go home. _Alone!”_ She added on when she saw him still wanting to come along, “and he really doesn’t like people.” She brushed off, with a wince. She did not want to paint Five in such a bad light, but it was nothing that wasn’t true enough.

She sighed when he just receded into the background after a short goodbye. She made sure he was totally gone before half running home.

First thing she was going to do when she got home, ask Five to finally change her door lock and locks on the windows pronto.

She was relieved when she was finally at her front door, almost giddy with the news for Five. Her keys shaking in her hands at the thought as she finally unlocked her door, pushing it open.

Yet, she opened her apartment to nothing but darkness.

Her heart skipped a beat, as she flickered on the light as she fell to her knees. Her body went numb, from the inside, gone was the feeling of warmth from the rehearsal and her good news. She shivered but not from the cold. She couldn’t…

One the coffee table in clear view, was the golden band she had given Five this morning. The one he said he wouldn’t take off.

_What did I tell you? He always leaves,_ the voice whispered coldly and with it burned her like the worst kind of frostbite.


	12. Wrap My Bones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So...i was going to make this one long chapter. But i'm feeling a little evil, so its a separated into two instead. 
> 
> Angst, drugs, and sibling bonding
> 
> No Five this chapter either, hehe

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Twelve: Wrap My Bones

' _Hickory, oak, pine and weed_  
 _Bury my heart underneath these trees_  
 _And when a southern wind comes to raise my soul_  
 _Spread my spirit like a flock of crows_

_Cause I loved ya for too long_   
_I loved ya for too long_   
_I loved ya for too long_

_Old heat of a raging fire_   
_Come and light my eyes_   
_Summer's kiss thru electric wire_   
_But I'll never die_

_Sycamore, ash, moss and loam_   
_Wrap your roots all around my bones_   
_And when they come for me_   
_When they call my name_   
_Cast my shadow from a bellow's flame'_

I Will Never Die

By: Delta Rae

**8:02 AM**

(Two Days Before the End of the World)

***Tick…Tock***

“I need you to tie me up.”

Diego blinked at the startling sunlight through his window, then up at a still sleep hazy Klaus. “Morin’ to you too. It’ too early for that type of kink, don’ you think, Klaus?” He muttered to his brother, before sighing to push himself out of the bed. He had a list of things to do, and number one on that list was to kill this…Hazel guy.

“I’m serious.” Klaus attempted again, shifting on his feet, “it’s the only way I will even remotely get sober enough. There’s…someone I need to see,” he admitted, taking a place on the now vacant bed, “I’ll even…” he gulped hating to use his powers for others amusement, “let you…talk to your detective.” He finished, eyes wandering around his room.

Klaus had to confess it to himself, that it had been a while since he had even thought of stepping foot into Diego’s room. He took in the practice and broken knives scattered around his little desk, then the papers with Diego’s familiar scratchy handwriting. _Homey,_ his thoughts placed.

His statement got Diego to pause in his packing, yet he shook his head, “No. I don’t want to, but I will help you…if you think it will help.” He supplied. He may not be the leader that Luther _thinks_ himself is nor is he the leader that Five _actually_ is, but he did notice some things about his siblings. He just…always went to them separately to help.

For that reason alone, he knew that Klaus hated using his powers for others amusement.

Plus, a little part of him was scared that she would not come.

Klaus just gave him a grateful look for the most part, “So I was thinking the attic would be best, less…” he winced, “interference.”

Klaus hated talking about his powers (other than with, well Ben, and Vanya) with his siblings because they just did not get it. He could see the dead, how frightening it is, and how…real they seem to be. Vanya asked him once: ‘ _how do you know if you’re talking to a ghost?_ ’. To this day, he still does not have the true answer to the question other than touch. Which even then, is an iffy way to tell. He knows that each ghost has their different levels of strength.

His eyes slanted towards Ben, who was walking next to him. Ben was getting older, to which that almost made him want to just burst out laughing at the realization.

He is not sure how Ben was doing it either, since every ghost (no matter what strength) stays the same age, never growing.

Forever immortalized at the moment of their death.

He shivered, a full body one.

“You sure you’re okay?” Diego asked, as they reached the stairs, “Where’s the dog?” he questioned seeing as his brother was taking the quiet route to the tougher of his inquiries. Diego did not want to admit it but seeing Klaus in this state was turning his view of his brother on its head. And that, was terrifying him more than any criminals they faced.

Klaus gave him a startled laugh, “Oh, so get this…Luther has taken him for a jog around the block.” Klaus tittered, a smile crazed smile gracing his lips, “I think he just loves the dog and wants to take it away from Five. Who’d da thunk that Luther can just be as possessive as Five?” he snorted, the stairs to the attic awaiting their ascend.

Diego snorted as well, “True,” He starts, following his brother up, “they would fight over anything they thought was theirs.” He shook his head as memories of when they were small circled, “like the small toy car when we were like seven, remember?”

Klaus belly laughed, “yeah, the war went on for like two weeks. God. I thought mom was gonna slap them…even for being a robot and all.”

“It was close for a minute or two.”

They giggled together, comraderies bringing the brothers closer, but it soon died, seeing an old chair just sitting by the window.

Diego was the first to clear his throat, “You know,” his whispered as if the attic was listening with wayward memoirs, “you don’t have to do this. We can bring you to an acu—”

“Tried. Multiple times in fact. But this?” Klaus dragged the chair to the center of the small room away from the light of the bay window, “I really believe that this will work.” He dropped himself down in the chair waiting.

Diego sighed, then got to work. He tied it tight (again, after Klaus needed to pee the first time) watching as his brother fiddled in the chair. Diego wanted to help him out of it, making his memories place a picture of his brother with a younger version:

 _They were in the attic for Diego’s training, with Number—_ Klaus _tied to a chair struggling in the tightened bonds._ ‘Throw your knife, Number Two. I won’t ask again _.’ Their father commanded sternly from his side. Yet, his eyes were on his teammate._

They are just children; couldn’t they just go play outside? _His mind raced_ , ‘I could hit him! _’ Diego was panicking, hand shaking with the weapon within his grasp. They were just ten years old!_

 _‘_ Then understand the recourse of actions that go wrong. _’ Their father said fluidly, ‘_ but you will throw that knife. _’ The tone warned him of the costs of not going with the training._

_And he did, terrified of the consequence of not following the order._

Shaking himself of the memory, his eyes trained back to his brother, “I’m sorry.” He strained out yet, his confession went by unnoticed as it echoed with his brothers strains and grunts from the withdrawal.

He sighed, leaning by the door, watching his brother like an unspoken guardian. His mind drifted to his sister, Vanya for some reason. He wanted to wince even more. They were all haunted by their time in this mansion. He was terrified the other night that he would have to bury her right next to their brothers rotting corpse, that he busted out in anger.

Maybe her book was right about them, he hung his head shamefully.

The door to the room swung open suddenly to Allison; a knife dug itself into the frame of it from Diego’s quick diversion of it. Their sister ignored it, long gotten used to his ways, “Guys, why are you up here? I had to ask Pogo where—What the _hell_ are you doing?!” she exclaimed, her feet marching her towards their tied-up brother.

“No! Wait--!”

“I heard a rumor you were _silent_.” Allison shot back automatically, unafraid to use her power as a weapon as she quickly tried to untie Klaus. She could not believe her brothers would do this to one another! They were not children anymore. “Hey Klaus…it’s going to be okay.” She reassured the hazed-out Klaus.

“No, no, no, no! _Don’t_!” He muttered to her, eyes at half-mast to watch her warily undo the tight ropes, “I wanted…’is. ‘et him go, Ally.” He asked her, as drifting to their brother that was stewing behind her in silence.

She paused, “you wanted this? Klaus there are better ways.” She told him softly, a hand coming to his arm. She could see it now though; the strain of his withdrawal was like a sheer blanket of sweat on him. She sighed. They all had to be on their top game for what is to come. She nodded unenthusiastically, “okay…I heard a rumor that you weren’t silent anymore.” She rumored Diego, then heard his huff, “I could rumor you too, Klaus. It would—” She argued.

“No…” he groaned thrashing his head. He never liked being rumored by Allison. It always felt...like he was a puppet on strings being played with leaving the feeling of being uncontrolled by himself, “it wouldn’t be real enough.”

‘ _Klaus, I know you can do this. I’m so proud_.’ Klaus heard Ben’s voice, which brought him comfort as much as Allison’s still warm hand on his arm.

Diego made his way to behind his brother, placing a hand on his shoulders, “Then keep fighting, Klaus. We’ll be here.”

This wasn’t just about the drugs anymore, for Klaus. He was giving into the powers that had frightened him for so long, to give himself the control that he craved.

But the first time in a long while (expect with Vanya. Where was she anyways?) his stranger siblings were willing to help him out.

It broke him, his eyes filling with tears, as the ghost in the house started to awaken once more from its worn floors, and the dulling walls. He could feel them like a second skin of astral projection, rustle and reshaped…some even felt to him like they were forcing themselves out of the walls (seriously, their father was a serial killer. End of story.) His powers sparked like a wild animal cracking at its shattering cage. He cried once more out loud, feeling the course of power making his blood seize with molten lava of energy. The ghost, he felt pointed and grated against him as his powers clung to each of them like a once more, happy family. His head felt like it was being split with claws (so razor sharp) but he sighed and took a shaky breath through it all.

It bubbled within him, rising. He felt some panic, cursing himself for not warning his siblings of his intention fully.

Yet.

He did not want to be alone for this.

Both siblings (and one dead one) took a couple of steps back, as his eyes glittered a familiar bright blue, and for a quick moment…they swore they could see what he could see.

**10:34 AM**

***Tick…Tock***

It took the siblings a while to shake what they had witnessed from Klaus. Both unable to believe that Klaus was not only getting rid of his addiction, but also his mental fortress he had put up long before. They blinked; they did a maniacal laugh together.

“…ugh, what are you guys so happy about?” Klaus muttered through a groan.

“I can’t believe that’s the reason you wanted me to tie you up. Couldn’t you’ve told me that?” Diego questioned his brother as he started to untie him, “What was that, anyways?”

“Oh yeah,” Klaus stared at his brothers form, “tell you what? That I was breaking mental walls that could possibly kill me? Or that the ghost could attack me if there was enough of them? Gee, wonder how that would’ve gone.” He stretched in his chair, eyes going to the one he wanted to see as his form started to appear, “Dave.” He whispered like a prayer, or a man that had not seen salvation of water in decades. He had promised Dave, in the trenches of war, that if he ever got back to his time…he would stop running and hiding from what he could do (he found out that war was more scarier than what the ghost looked like). Klaus’s signal for going through with that promise was to conjure Dave up (if he died, and he did. GoD! He did). “I did it, like promised.” His eyes burned with tears, but he would not shed them, as he gave the ghost of his lover a shaky smile.

‘ _You did, Klaus. I miss you._ ’ Dave gave him a megawatt smile.

Klaus ignored his siblings, eyes taking in Dave. He was still in his uniform from the war, his tags shining on his bare chest. Just like he wanted to picture him forever, “I miss you so much, babe.” His watery laugh broke the dam, a single tear making its way down, “It should’ve been me.” He blabbered, Dave making the move to come closer, yet he was removed from his view with Diego, and a shadow of Ben.

“Hey, we got you.” Diego tried to comfort, but Klaus was not paying attention giving both alive siblings a scare. Each trying their hand to get his awareness, but so far, failing miserably.

‘ _Klaus let him go. He doesn’t belong on this plane._ ’ Came Ben. Ben himself looked at the ghost of Dave with remorse (and delight for his brother—he picked a good one…for the time they had together) as he could see the madness of returning starting in the apparitions limbs with twitching, ‘ _you know what it does to spirits like his._ ’ He reminded him. ‘ _Those that already went to the light then come back._ ’

Klaus’s lips trembled unwilling to do what was necessary. “B-b-but you haven’t.”

‘ _I never went into the light…_ y _et_.’ Ben foretold him sadly. ‘ _Don’t do this to yourself again_.’ Eyes filling with tears for his brothers’ anguish. He watched as Klaus looked back at Dave once more.

“I’m sorry, so sorry.” He trembled, not believing that he had to let his lover go once more, “but yo-you have to go now.” He snuffled. “I’ll…b-b-be seeing you soon, okay?”

Ben’s un-beating heart dropped but kept quiet knowing that the couple had only moments left. He moved his stance to guard their siblings, even if it would do nothing, it made him feel like he was doing his duty if Dave did not want to go.

‘ _No,_ ’ Dave countered, ‘ _you’re going to live a long and happy life._ ’ The ghost smiled, the shaking had stopped, but his hand was beginning to turn an ashy color and break to float around him.

“I don’t feel happy.” Klaus told him.

‘ _Maybe not now or even for a long while_ ,’ Dave looked down at his hand astonished for a moment, ‘ _I did not really believe what you told me about the other side_ (“Dave,” Klaus tried to stop him with a head tilt) _but being there myself_?’ he strangled on the words, as it’s the universes way to keep its secrets hidden, ‘ _I’ll wait for you there, Klaus. Waiting a long time, then you can tell me all about your time growing old. You are not done here Klaus. You have a duty to finish… I will not accept anything else but you old and wrinkled, Klaus when you get to this side. Got it?_ ’ he decreed softly, his image beginning to fade once more as Klaus used his powers to let go.

“B-but I’ll be hot forever, you know that.” He taunted the fading ghost.

‘ _Yeah_ ,’ it laughed, ‘ _and I told you, no matter what you look like you will be my lover to me_.’

Then the ghost of Dave was gone like a forgotten gravestone once more.

Klaus have a choked breath to gather his returning mind, turning towards his siblings, “Hey.” He started sadly. “We got shit to do, right?” He cleared his throat, color coming back to his cheeks, “Not that I don’t love a good rope play, but shouldn’t you be untying me now?”

**10:50 AM**

***Tick…Tock***

The siblings sat in cold quandary, unsure what to do next. Klaus was wishing for a drink but knew it wasn’t enough anymore. He had to be strong…for Dave.

Luther comes in, breathless with a dog right by his side. At least until the dog saw Klaus and quickly made its way to him for some pets which Klaus gladly gave. The sight made Luther frown slightly then he shook his head, “oh good. You are all here. I’ve been thinking—"

Klaus just groaned getting up from his seat, not wanting to deal with Luther’s problem of the day. He was still a little bit out of it, but he still hasn’t seen Vanya, which made him shaky. Even Ben agreed that it was weird for their sister to just…leave after small talk with Allison, (she had told them that they got into a small argument but she was sure that Vanya didn’t leave the mansion, so they are giving her some room) yet seeing the dog come to him and not race off to where she was hiding put the notion she stayed out of his mind, “Yeah that sounds like a real rager, but my schedule has rapidly already gotten chock-full. So, I’ll be taking the dog—"

“Clear it,” Luther demanded, sounding for the first time like the leader he should. It made Klaus collapse back into the couch with the dog whining by his side, “the worlds ending soon…I think?” He felt like he needed to even question his own sanity.

“You think?” Allison doubted with a quizzical shake of her head.

Luther sighed, “Five said apocalypse hence why he was back to deal with it…but why now? And where is he?”

“Come to think of it, the old bastard did say something or another about it.” Klaus said offhandedly, “Though, he did leave out the part of how soon.” He muttered more to the dog, than the people in the room.

“I don’t know…” Allison went on, “could we trust him? I mean Five’s a little…” She whistled with a clear sign of him being crazy.

Klaus snorted, “Our little psychopath.” He told them, eyes on himself petting the dog. 

Diego chuckled at that, as did Allison.

Luther looked at them confused for a moment. They were not this type of close when he left this morning, “Okay…what happened between you three?” He was bewildered as he looked towards Allison for the answer.

Yet Klaus was the one that answered instead, “Just a little more trauma to help bring us all together,” Klaus groaned getting up from the couch, “I really have to go.” The dog paced by his legs, making him nervous. _Animals could always sense more than humans_ , his brain supplied. Something must have happened.

“Oh, where?” Luther scoffed out.

“To see Vanya.” He told them, moving towards the door.

“Check the theater!” Diego called out, playing with a knife, “she should be there…” He checked his watch again, “its roughly the time she’s usually there anyways.” He confirmed making his siblings just blink at him, “What?” he snapped at them.

“…Its weird that you know that.” Klaus turned back to him, “Does Five know you check on her this much, hmm?” He taunted him, the dog barking from his side, “even the dog agrees, it’s a bit weird.”

Diego’s cheeks were startling to turn a shade darker from embarrassment, “Shut up.”

“Oho, nice defense!”

“Guys!” Luther shouted at them, “look, he was pretty convinced the world was endings, I mean if he weren’t trying to stop the end of the world why would those people come after him?” He told them, eyes going to all of theirs.

“That’s why they were after him?” Diego confirmed.

Luther only nodded his head.

“What did Five even see?” Allison shot out.

Luther had to backpedal for a moment, for he honestly does not know, “Uhh…well…he never really told me per say…but—"

“Hey! Maybe Vanny knows. She’s like his Crypt keeper.” Klaus said, trying to be helpful but also still trying to leave at the same time.

“Wait a minute. You’re not going to leave and—"

“B-but she’s our sister, she would know more than anyone, right?” Klaus looked to all his siblings, seeing nothing that made his stomach stop hurting. They would just cast her out like this? He wanted to ask Ben about it, but even he was shaking his head at their siblings in disgust. It was only Diego that seemed to be lost in his own thoughts to even protest to what was happening.

“We can’t bring her into this. She’s too…” Luther was lost for words, looking to Allison for help.

“ _Ordinary_.” Allison agreed. She also did not want to face Vanya again with her sister snapping at her like that. She was a little bit terrified of her. She wet her lips, ready to say more, but Klaus beat her to it.

“Wow,” He harshly laughed at them, making Diego look at him confused, “Here I thought dad was the big asshole on campus, but no. Its you…” He shook his head, “actually it’s all of us.” With that said he left to go see one of the only siblings that was there for him. It was time for a change, and now that the world was ending? He wanted to apologize and maybe watch a movie together.

“Klaus!” Luther thundered.

“I’m taking the dog!”

He thinks the slamming of the door put his point across.

**11:45 AM**

*Tick…Tock*

Klaus decided to check at the theater like Diego had suggested. He vaguely remembers it from his days of going to her when the drugs were not enough. The sounds of violin strings harmonizing together told him it was a wise choice to come here.

He tried to get in through the back way, but a janitor just pushed him back out on the side street.

 _Well_ , he thought, looking back down at the dog by him, _looks like the old blind trick will have to do._ He nodded to himself, walking right through the front door (Five would not be happy with knowing what type of place she works at that just lets anyone wander in) into the concert hall. The dog ruffled a little bit as they made there way to sit in a dark seating area to wait the rehearsal out.

It washed over them both like a lullaby they had forgotten long ago, to which they both sighed and relaxed in their seats. The dog fell quickly asleep by his feet as they listened to the sound.

His eyes were focused on his sisters form on stage, taking in her performance which had greatly improved since they were children. He had missed Vanya’s playing. When he was a kid, he would listen through their shared wall with a feeling of peace coming to wash over him. It was in those moments that the ghost where like behind an invisible shield to not bother him enough to sleep. He was thankful for her in those little instances. In fact, sometimes when he would come over to stay for a bit in her small apartment, she would play a piece without needing to be asked to calm him.

He missed that.

So.

So, very much.

He felt like he had forgotten that she knew what it was like, to hold a burden on the shoulders. He moved in his seat, putting his arms on his knees to watch even more carefully. They all have the burden so heavily on the shoulders of being superheroes that they forgot. They made her into an ‘ordinary’. He winced, thinking about the days, then months after Five had disappeared without a trace…it was like they all just…made her into a living ghost.

‘ _Hey, do you see that?_ ’ Ben asked from his place next to him, his eyes on the stage as well, _‘her hair. Look at her hair_.’ He seemed to quietly exclaim.

He focused more when he thought he saw some movement.

He must need glasses, his heart pounding in his chest, as it was true. The feeling of emotions came at him like a wall, forced and pressured against him.

**_Holy fuck._ **

His eyes widened, standing up slowly to make his way closer to the stage, for his eyes must surely not being seeing right. Nope, movement, a little bit of her hair was drifting on her shoulder, as she played in such stern concentration. She was almost vibrating with the rhythm as her eyes closed at the playing of the music on the sheet.

**HOLY FUCK.**

“OH dad, what have you done?” he muttered to the air as the feeling of the emotions came once more over him, as his mind caught memories long forgotten within the depth of living life. It was like the shield on old memories were being ripped off, like an old Allison rumor finally being taken off…

_SHIT!_

He looked towards Ben once again.

It seemed like Ben was remembering as well, _‘At least dads not a serial killer_.’ He tried to joke, the memories burning as they settled into place in their rightful spot. How could father have done this to Vanya? How volatile she could be at just a young age?

“No, our little sis _is_.” He spoke the universe, as her playing seemed to affect those more around her, all of her coworkers playing more and more fiercely and more into it.

The nannies, the grandmother on the stairs, the many upon many people in the kitchen was her fault. She killed them, wait—not all was her fault, but their fathers.

Their father made her this…this ticking timebomb.

 _And now?_ He thought _, she was off her leash._

He just stood there, taking in her beauty of her power once more, his eyes filling with tears that were not of his making as the music swirled to its crescendo.

Her powers had grown, and by the tenfold.

It was like his brain was finally clicking into place, that her pills where the off switch to her powers, and now?

She was finally free.

He wanted to cry.

He wanted to laugh.

“Oh, dad you made your own Trojan horse.” He muttered as he collapses into a seat closest to him and waited the end of rehearsal staring at his sister with new pride. Their Father could not control her like the rest of them, her being so strong willed, he had to take her confidence away, and tare her down instead.

 _See Dad?_ He thought bitterly into the unknown, _you did not break her enough._ _Look at how she will shin_ e. Five was right, she was extraordinary compared to them.

The music finally ended to which he rose to his feet to clap loudly forgetting that there was supposed to be no one in the crowd. Heads turned to him, but he did not care, eyes connecting to Vanya’s as a wide smile graced his features.

He was met with frozen dead eyes, making his clapping faulter.

 _But maybe we did!_ His thoughts shouted. “Hey Vanny.” He greeted her cautiously as she gripped her case tighter on her shoulder.

“Why are you here?” She asked him blankly, to which the dog whined by his side as she did not even look in the dog’s direction, “With…with…the dog?” She could not even say his name, her heart no longer hers to touch safely it seemed. She cleared her throat moving to step away from the gathering crowd, and out onto the street. Even with the Academy disbanding, they were still recognized, “Let go.” She commanded, giving in to the darker voice since last night, but feeling Klaus try to stop her from taking another step made her warm just a little bit.

She was worth this.

_No, you aren’t. Your nothing they had made you, own it._

She shook the thoughts away, “ _What?”_ She snapped.

“Woah!” He put his hands up in defense, “just wanted to check in on you…you seem…surprisingly in…control?” He winced at the statement for this is not the way he wanted to tell her about the possible power situation.

‘ _Nice, Klaus. Five would be proud_.’ Ben commented from the side. But they were both shocked when Vanya looked directly at Ben in uncertainty, ‘ _Fuck, can she see me_?’

“What’s the matter?” he was breathless at the thought that on top of it all, she could see the dead as well.

“Nothing, just…feeling or something.” She shook her head, “it felt…familiar somehow.”

‘ _She can feel me._ ’ Ben thought out stunned, watching Vanya continue to stare straight at him. It was the first other human contact apart from Klaus, and he wanted to weep.

“The vibrations. Ghosts give off energy…” Klaus muttered to Ben in a quick explanation, eyes not leaving Vanya’s. “Look Vann—”

“Hey Vanya! I was looking for you!” Leonard called out as he walked up to them, “who’s this?”

‘ _Now, who’s this_?’ Ben inquired as they both saw Vanya answer and talk to the man.

Klaus could not answer though, eyes going to the shadows around the man. They crowded his shoulders like twisted creatures awaiting their masters bidding. The dark forms of them so dark, it seemed almost impossible to recreate on any form of technology, “Do you see them?” He muttered to Ben, eyes not leaving the shadows. They shifted with the man as he did, like a second skin.

Shadows were never a good sign.

‘ _Yeah. Two, like vultures over his shoulders?_ ’ Ben confirmed.

“Klaus, is just my brother…and sometimes talks with ghosts.” She commented, eyes slanting to the unseen Ben.

“Well, nice to meet you.” Leonard stated warmly, but Klaus could see the shadows heighten more over his shoulders as if wanting to pounce making him want to shiver, “Ready to go?” he turned towards Vanya once more with a sweet smile, making the shadows quiver in a fear he hadn’t seen in any spirit before.

She nodded her head, handing her violin to the guy, making Klaus’s chest tighten more. Where the fuck was Five when you needed him? Their family knew that to be able to carry Vanya’s violin was her way of giving trust, in more ways then one. The only people that had that honor was Ben and of course, Five.

They started to leave him in his spot before his hand shot out in careful panic. He knew by those shadows; he was a dangerous man for her to be left alone with. _Yet, you leave her with Five and his ghosts?_ His mind supplied but shook from it, “He’s got _shadows,_ Van.” He warned when she tried to brush him off. It was his one way to give her a clear sign of trouble from the man.

He knew she would never scrape off that type of statement.

She knew how serious he takes those with shadows.

Yet, she shrugs, “Don’t we all?” as if not a care in the world, turns to the man with the cover of shadows.

He watches helpless to stop her, short from trying to kidnap her, as they walked away.

He needed help.

**1:37 PM**

***Tick…Tock***

Klaus doesn’t want to say that he ran home, it was more of a real fast pace jog with the dog right besides him.He huffed, and almost doubled over when he reached the Academy’s front door, “Shit maybe Luther has a good idea about running.” He strains out.

‘ _Maybe or could been from all the drugs that were in your system, compromising it_.’ Ben states calmly by his side, not a hair out of place on his head.

Klaus just blinked at him, “low blow.”

‘ _Please_ ,’ Ben gave him a bitch face, ‘ _I was telling you for years that_ —’

A sound of a crash could be heard from inside, making the two rush into the sitting room to find a very drunk Luther.

“Wow, Luther. Breaking into Dads liquor and this early? Man, what’s next? Follow in Five’s footsteps and go after your ‘true love’?” he joked, tension rising in his body at the thought of washing some of the booze down as well from his startled realization about their sister.

He almost got hit with a bottle being thrown at him, which he was luckily enough to duck, “Hey! Be careful, we have precious cargo in the room!”

“Shut up, Four!” Luther grumbled drunk.

“I was talking about _Fives_ ’ dog!” He shouted back, brushing the head of the animal.

That broke Luther down, “Dad, sent me there for—for nothing. I was alone there—four years! Klaus, I—”

“Okay, I thought self-pity was my only thing, quit taking it.” Klaus reprimanded him, “I’ve also never seen you drunk, which is hilarious by the way.”

‘ _Not helping, Klaus. Tell him about Vanya_.’ Ben refocused him.

“Yeah but do I have to?” Klaus pouted at the air to which Ben was standing, confusing Luther even more.

‘ _Kinda the reason you ran back here_.’ Ben countered him.

“True, very true. But now we’ve got a drunken Number One on our hands over a creepy guy with our sister Vanya, kinda takes precedence don’t you agree?”

“What?” A confused Luther gave out, eyes glazy but seemed his brain was still in a working order.

“Yeah, a guy named Leonard walked away from him. Gave me the creep vibes.” He was not telling Luther about the shadows until he was sober enough to actually form complete sentences, “Oh! And side note, Vanya has powers.”

**_“What?!”_ **

**_*Tick...Tock...Tick..._ **

**_Tick..._ **

**_Tock..._ **

**_Tock..._ **

**_Tick..._ **

**_Tock...tick...tock...tick*_ **


	13. Dangerous Thing is to Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So...its been a while!  
> holy shit.  
> Work...had gotten crazy and this chapter I didn't want to fuck up so...  
> yeah.  
> Enjoy.  
> Also, the song! God is just Five to the tea!  
> :)

**The Rockrose and the Thistle**

Chapter Thirteen: Dangerous Thing is to Love

_"You crazy assed cosmonaut_  
_Remember your virtue_  
_Redemption lies plainly in truth_

_The self is not so weightless_  
_Nor whole and unbroken_  
_Remember the pact of our youth_

_Where you go_  
_I'm going_  
_So jump and I'm jumping_  
_Since there is no me without you_

_///_

_Throw yourself into the unknown_  
_With pace and a fury defiant_  
_Clothe yourself in beauty untold_  
_And see life as a means to a triumph_  
_Today of all days_  
_See_

_How the most dangerous thing is to love_  
_How you will heal and you'll rise above_  
_Crowned by an overture bold and beyond_  
_Ah, it's more courageous to overcome"_

Achilles, Come Down

By: Gang of Youths

“I’ve never met someone like you,” the Handler says proudly as she strutted towards the home office of the Commission, “Hazel and Cha-Cha, for example, are talented, certainly, but…” She shook her head at the covered skies, “they can’t see the bigger picture.”

Five blinked, “I killed Cha-Cha…”

The Handler chuckled, touching his arm in was supposed to be a friendly way, (still made Five want to rip it off, but he had to play by their rules—at least for now) “Oh well, apparently in your old age, your aim is getting rusty, though by your looks…” she sent her covered eyes over him once, as people made their way around them.

“I shot her in the eye.” He told her plain. He kept his eyes on the building ahead, not giving into what she was trying to get across. He tightened his hands in his pockets, fighting the rising urge to just get it over with now, but he knew…oh god, did he need to know.

What.

The.

Fuck.

Is.

The.

Reason.

For.

The.

End.

Of.

The.

Fucking.

**World.**

And he was only going to get at answer in the looming building in front of him. It seemed to rise even more as they made their way into its doors.

He was doing this for his family, he had remind himself once more.

“Yes,” The Handler moved a little bit away, clearing her throat. “Well. Sometimes people live on miracles. She is back where she needs to be,” She told him quickly before changing the subject, “Come along, this is where you’ll be working. Like I said, you have spunk, an entrepreneur. Who knows, you could potentially make a fine successor, Five.”

Five kept his mouth shut. His mind already forming ways to plot his vengeance. They had nothing of his experience, nor the means to get it. _You made me a killer than I already was_ , he thought bitterly.

They made their way just a spiral staircase as she shed her outer coat and the glasses, “Now that you’ve finally agreed to work with us…again, we’ve got all the time in the world.” She chuckled. “We do control time. This is all in a delicate balance between the timeline of events and that of mankind’s free will.”

She kept talking, pulling an arm through his, which he ignored with a picture of Vanya doing the same when they were kids. He took in all the exits, and the special rooms that seemed endless as they went about the orientation of the building. The outside was so much smaller than what the inside compared to…it made him curious of how they did it. Questions, and theories popped into his head as they kept on walking for what felt like forever.

They made their way through the briefcase room, his eyes automatically drawn to them.

“The briefcase is no longer part of your uniform, Five.” She pulled him tighter, “Free your mind.” She whispered into his ear, “Your management now.”

She finally let him go (he was remarkably close to his breaking point of her touch), “This is management. Each one is responsible for one major event at a time.”

The room was endless, like bees hard at work.

 _So much to know,_ his mind wandered, “So many of them.”

“Impressive, isn’t it? Being a part of something…so grand.”

Five’s mind flashed to his short time in the Academy. Back then, being in the Academy was something so grand that it had captured the world around them. The flashes of photographers, and the crowd hailing his name, like he was a god living among them.

Yet.

There was only one voice that called out to him right now, like his heart string being plucked and struck.

He took a quick breath that was over shadowed by the Handler pulling him from the room’s door, “Whenever someone chooses…the wrong path and the time line is changed, the Commission gets a report from field agents on the ground. These field reports are sorted…” Her voice drifted through the hall, as Five tried to listen but he could not. He felt his heart stuttered in its cage like a frightened bird in front of a preying cat. His mind finally jumped back into the one-sided conversation, “removed from the equation to assure that the event happens as time demands.” She shot him what was a superseded dazzling smile, but it made Five’s stomach turn.

He had gotten into bed with the devil.

“She gives the order to the temporal assassins like you were. Any queries?” She mocked at him, flattering her lashes at him.

He had to breathe, “Yeah.” He shot her a sharp smile which made her grow a mirrored fractured one, “Who was the case manager for me?”

“You mean the apocalypse.”

She did not give him an answer, just tutted then once again wrapped her boney hands around his arm to lead him away. Another room, so many rooms.

“Five, meet Dot.” He gave her a quick assessment, that her perkiness gives away her wiliness to help the Handler, “Dot here is responsible for all apocalypse matters. In fact, it was Dot here who first flagged your appearance in 2019.” The Handler told him almost proudly of the action.

“No hard feelings.” She twinkled out, eyes glittered with movement, that only the trained assassin caught.

 _Interesting_.

He still said nothing which Dot knowledge with a small nod, going back to her work.

“Well,” The Handler clapped his hands, “you certainly put us through the ringer. Outsmarting two of our so-called best temporal assassins.” Her chuckled echoed, then her voice pitched louder to the room, “If that doesn’t spell leadership material…” the typing stopped in the room, “I just don’t know. I suspect…” She twirled around a chair, placing her hands on the back of it, waiting for him to sit. He didn’t, “you like a challenge, Five. Which is why I have given you a particularly complex first case. Here you go.” She gives him the file quickly, watching as he glanced over it.

“Have fun!”

Then she was gone as the typing of keyboards returned to the room.

Five concentrates as he finally sits down at the desk. Might as well play the devils game while—

“I didn’t know you are married.” Dot’s voice came over his shoulder (which totally did not startle him—he is an assassin for fuck sakes) looking down at the gold band on his finger, “that’s so sweet.” She gushed.

He himself had to pauses to look at the ring, as a reminder, “I need complete silence to work.” He told her which made her shrink back to her area. His eyes stayed on the ring; it is glimmering in the harsh lights of the room. Two sharp contrasting memories floated together in his mind:

_‘So, do we have a deal?’_

_He stared at her as if she were crazy, she gave away nothing. He had to pause in his thoughts, and critical thinking. He could see she wanted it for something...and it made his skin crawl with the familiar feeling of the hunt. He was not going to give her the satisfaction. He could not give the ring up that easy, ‘Forget my family then.’ He said, eyes clear and ready to fight his way out of this if he needed. He did not even look the ways towards his brothers (still frozen) for he knew that she was seeking some type of leash._

_She hummed, ‘Just like that? Over a ring?’_

_‘Family heirloom.’ He was not going to make sure she would not find out anything about Vanya through him._

_‘Curious.’ The Handler looked him over once again, her eyes still falling back onto the object on his hand. His body was fighting itself to hide the treasure in his pocket, but he refrained._

_**AND**_

_The sun was shining in the sky, as the first months of spring came to finally warm up. Vanya and he were hiding away from the others, as they played. Five, even at this age, thought that his brother and sister were below him. He could also see their personalities starting to form, and it bored him, other than Klaus, Ben, and Vanya._

_He was happy that Vanya wanted to play outside today though, as she was surprisingly accident prone nowadays. In his short memory so far, he pandered how that could have been since out of all of then she always seemed to be one with good grace but shrugged it off as kids do._

_He made an off comment about the outside world would judge them, and that no one would want to be with them._

_‘Five! I’ll marry you!’ A startling bright smile was on the seven-year-old Vanya’s face. (_ He could still see the melting of her bright soul as it still dazzled him _) She through her arms around him, taking him to the ground with a soft oof._

_His heart pounded in his chest as he laid with her on his chest, ‘really?’_

_‘Of course! You’re my favorite.’_

_Her giggles followed him throughout that afternoon._

His hand wrinkled to rub the band as a soft smile graced his usual stone face. He needs to set in motion his plan soon. He could feel the strings of time almost tighten around him once more. The clock was ticking in more ways then one. He did it again, as his head gave him a distant hysterical laugh from Delores herself. He left her.

Fuck.

_Fuck._

He got up from his sit quickly making those around the room gasp and stare at him shocked. The plan for repairing the timeline fracture already typed in his hands. He had to get out of here, to get home.

To Vanya.

To explain.

He knew that she would accept it eventually.

He could not go on without her.

Not anymore.

**10:51 AM**

(Two Days Before the End of the World)

(AGAIN)

Luther comes in, breathless with a dog right by his side. At least until the dog saw Klaus and quickly made its way to him for some pets which Klaus gladly gave. The sight made Luther frown slightly then he shook his head, “oh good. You are all here. I’ve been thinking—"

Klaus just groaned getting up from his seat, not wanting to deal with Luther’s problem of the day. He was still a little bit out of it, but he still has not seen Vanya, which made him shaky. Even Ben agreed that it was weird for their sister to just…leave after small talk with Allison, (she had told them that they got into a small argument but she was sure that Vanya didn’t leave the mansion, so they are giving her some room) yet seeing the dog come to him and not race off to where she was hiding put the notion she stayed out of his mind, “Yeah that sounds like a real rager, but my schedule has rapidly already gotten chock-full. So, I’ll be taking the dog—"

“Clear it,” Luther demanded, sounding for the first time like the leader he should. It made Klaus collapse back into the couch with the dog whining by his side, “the worlds ending soon…I think?” He felt like he needed to even question his own sanity.

“You think?” Allison doubted with a quizzical shake of her head.

Luther sighed, “Five said apocalypse hence why he was back to deal with it…but why now? And, where is he?”

A flash of blue crackled over the bar counter as Five landed with a harsh thud, even harder groan.

“Found him!” Klaus commented happily, as the dog barked in hello and a waggle of his tail, “You ok, bro?” He asked the time traveler as his moved to help him off the counter.

“Is that coffee?” he questioned before taking the cup right from Allison’s hand to shoot down the rest of it. He was not okay, far from it, “The world’s ending in two days.” He needed them all to be on his side about this, he needed them to…or this could all be for nothing.

Klaus snorted at the solid statement from his brother. Klaus knew that only Five could pull off, “Way with tac, man.” He told them, eyes on him as he went to sit on the floor to keep petting the dog. 

Diego chuckled at that, as did Allison.

Luther looked at them confused for a moment. They were not this type of close when he left this morning, “Okay…what happened between you three?” He was bewildered as he looked towards Allison for the answer. Yet Klaus was the one that answered instead with a blooming cracked grin, “Just a little more trauma to help bring us all together.”

Allison and Diego were asking questions to Five instead ignoring Luther.

Five put his hand roughly through his hair, frustrated beyond compare, “We don’t have time for this!” The dog whined, going to his belly in front of Five, pawing at his feet for his attention. He sighed, “Hey, Mr. Pennycrumb.” He muttered to the dog, “We should go see Vanya.”

Klaus groaned getting up from the floor, “I’ll go with!” The dog paced back to him, rubbing against his legs, making him nervous. _Animals could always sense more than humans_ , his brain supplied. Something must have happened, “You left her again, didn’t you?” Klaus accused.

“I didn’t mean to…” Five sighed, exasperated, feeling his age sink into his bones once more. The weight of the literal world was on his shoulders, and he was afraid he would not be strong enough to keep it stable, “there wasn’t time to send a postcard.” Five shot back, eyes flaring with intent of fratricide.

“Oh man,” Klaus chuckled ignoring the look with a crazed empathy, “I can’t wait to see this outcome.”

“You’re not coming.” Five commented, crossing his arms with a stone face stating he was not playing around.

“Yes I am. I took care of your dog; hence I get to go.” He sung back to his brother as he rocked on his feet.

Five mulled it over with a raise brow. This was the first time he has seen Klaus this…functional in a while, “Fine. Let’s go.” He held his hand out cautious still of human contact.

Klaus scoffed, “How romantic you are.” He rolled his eyes at his brother, but love was there still.

“Oh, where?” Luther scoffed out irritated at being ignored to the background.

‘ _Just like Vanya, my darling,_ ’ Delores’ voice filtered to him distorted. He clenched his jaw, looking at his siblings with a slight distain, ‘ _your hurt my love, shouldn’t you get stitched up_?’

Five ignored her, shifting in his stance to cover up his pain.

“To see Vanya.” They robotically told the group, ready to make the jump to her apartment. It was like their siblings once again forgot they have another somewhere in the world.

“Check the theater!” Diego called out, playing with a knife from his sit, “she should be there…” He checked his watch again, “its roughly the time she’s usually there anyways.” He confirmed making his siblings just blink at him, “What?” he snapped at them, but sent a jumpier glance towards Five, who just slowly raised a brow at him.

“…Its weird that you know that.” Klaus turned back to him then at Five, in a nervous energy as the ghost in the room started to get amplified from the energy; the dog barking from his side, “even the dog agrees, it’s a bit weird.”

Diego’s cheeks were startling to turn a shade darker from embarrassment. He shifted in his seat, “Shut up.”

“Oho, nice defense!”

Diego could feel the blue haze of Five’s eyes burning at him with questions, so many questions to which he conceded with a small nod. Five’s shoulders gave away a little of tension it had and made Diego give a silent sigh of relief.

“Guys!” Luther shouted at them, eyes still darting over them both. Never moved towards each other giving a good impression that a fight won’t break out this time, “look, Five’s just stated it out for you: the world is ending. I mean if he weren’t trying to stop the end of the world why would those people come after him?” He told them, eyes going to all of theirs. He wanted to stay on task, seeming even Five can get stuck in drama.

“That’s why they were after you?” Diego asked Five.

Five nodded his head, “Yeah. Oh, Cha-Cha is still alive.” He wanted to tap his foot with the time ticking away within his head. So many minutes being wasted at this moment.

“W-what?” Klaus seemed to get paler, “You shot her in the eye!?”

“Yeah well. I guess some people live on miracles.” He muttered to his brother, “but don’t worry. They are busy with…other things at the moment.” He gave a cheeky smile of one he would give when they were children. Like the time he stole the cookie jar.

The whole cookie jar.

The group pondered over that statement quietly for a moment.

Five was the one the clear his throat to get them all moving, “I need to go.” It was the first time in recent memory that Five stated that he was leaving that they blinked at him. He disregarded them.

Luther came out of nowhere to start his rant, “Wait a minute. You’re not going to leave us on that information and—"

“And what, Number One?” Five snapped, frustrated.

Luther took a physical step back, as if he could feel the killer force sharpy popping off Five, “I just…I just think we should leave her alone for now…don’t you think the end of the world should take precedent?” Luther winced at his word choice but did not take them back. He could see that Five was thinking about other things than what was needed to get done. If he knew anything from his brother, it was that Vanya would always be his weak spot.

Five just stared at him, but Luther could see the cogs turning behind those forest eyes. ‘ _Do you believe that, my love_?’ Delores questions doubtful, ‘ _I’ve only met her briefly and she’s so much more_.’ ‘ _No_ ,’ he answered her like a whispered confession, ‘ _I don’t believe that one bit_.’

Klaus looked at Five shocked as he stayed silent for more than a second, “B-but she’s our sister. Five…” Klaus looked to all his siblings, seeing nothing that made his stomach stop hurting. They would just cast her out like this? He wanted to ask Ben about it, but even he was shaking his head at their siblings in disgust.

“We can’t bring her into this. She’s too…” Luther was lost for words, looking to Allison for help to not get a fired glare from Five.

“ _Ordinary_.” Allison agreed. She also did not want to face Vanya again with her sister snapping at her like that. She was a little bit terrified of her. She wet her lips, ready to say more but was cut off by Five.

“No.” Five barked out without thought. He sighed, “We need the full Umbrella Academy to—”

“She’s not part of the Academy.” Luther remind his brother sharpy as if he were still a teenager, “It would be better if she really was ord—”

Luther was already slammed into the pillar before anyone could blink, “Do. _Not_. Say. That.” Five seethed out, as his hand clenched more on Luther’s trench coat, “You know what sucks?” he asked the room with no need for the answer as they all stared in voiceless fear as the Five they knew when they grew up started to melt into the new versions image, “I grew up alone in a wasteland, Klaus talks to the dead, and you?” He shook his brother as if trying to knock some since into his monkey brain, the restrain on his anger boiling over a little, “You are not fooling anyone with this trench coat. None of us have been _ordinary_ …Vanya **_especially_**.” He hissed, then pushed away from Luther to stand by the smiling Klaus.

“Wow,” Klaus harshly laughed at them with a sarcastic hand clap, “Here I thought dad was the big asshole on campus, but no. It’s you…” He shook his head, “actually it’s all of us.” His eyes going to Fives to see him agreeing with that assertion. With that said he turned towards Five, to give out his hand for him. It was time for a change, and now that the world was ending?

“Look into a Harold Jenkins. He has something to do with the end of the world. At least I know you won’t mess that up.” Five prompted the trio, without further ado, Five blinked both Klaus and Mr. Pennycrumb away from the mansion to the Icarus Theater that awaited them.

Diego pursued his lips, “When did Five get married?” he questioned the duo before him, both turning to him confused.

**11:47 AM**

“Shit!” Klaus exclaimed as his feet finally touched solid ground, “How does anyone do that?” He wheezed bending over to not throw up, the dog licking his face made him squeal in delight. He missed an animal around him since he had…well since.

“You’ve spatial jumped with me before, Klaus.” Five commented, (“Yeah, but I only did it like once or twice…bet Vanya is used to it more than anyone. Am I right?” Klaus badgered to which he did not reply) going to the doors of the theater. He needed to see Vanya like a caged animal needs their prey under their teeth. His heart strings were being plucked and tightened like it was playing a heartbreaking song. He tried the doors, but they were both locked, “Shit.” He pulled again. She had to be here, Five had made sure (more like threatened) Diego to always kept some tabs on her if anything would’ve happened to him. Diego would not lie about this…about _Vanya_.

The air was getting to thick with ash around him, his breath quickening. _No, no, no, no_ —

“Hey,” Klaus revers like a whisper on the wind as he carefully pulled him away from the doors he was still tugging on, “we’re going to find her, Five. She’s _Vanya_. She can handle herself until we do.” He reminded his brother. He had seen the rising panic in him, something he did not do when they were kids. He had always seemed so solid. _Oh, but love_ , Klaus contemplated, _it makes you…_ human. “Come on, we can still see if she’s at her apartment.”

Five did not say anything, just once again took his hand and the dog, they were gone in a flash.

**11:50 AM**

There was a lot they could have come back to, but seeing Vanya apartment destroyed for nothing but bare bones? It shocked them speechless, the dog doing the search for them throughout the home, before turning back to them with a deep panicked whine from not finding his other master.

“What the hell? Did a tornado come through?” Klaus mused to the air around them as he took in the damage.

Vanya’s carefully arranged books and little trinkets that she had on her shelves were either destroyed or thrown to the floor without care. The shelves they once were placed, were off kilter and one was even cracked in half.

Her couch was toppled over, her couple of jackets she had were thrown into the kitchen. The kitchen itself was even more a mess, the fridge was open, its lightbulb flickering in waves with the lights in the floor of the living room. The cabinets all open, there contents on the floor, broken like old porcelain.

Papers of music were scattered for all the eyes could see.

“Five, did she have a break in?” He questioned to his still quiet brother. He watched as the time-traveler walked through the devastation to the coffee table, the only thing still intact in the room.

“No” Five’s voice wavered just for a moment eyes on the object in front of him, “She’s good, the Handler. (“Handler? Do we know a Handler?” Klaus muttered to Ben’s ghost. Ben just shrugged.) I’ll give her that.” He turned to Klaus holding an almost exact replica of the ring still on Five’s hand. “But she did not do something this stupid, would not.” His eyes burned with a renewed vengeance, hand tightening on the ring.

“Five, who did it, then?”

With hooded eyes of a burning forest, Five moved with more intent, “I think I know who our Harold Jenkins is.” His side throbbed with the predator movements, but he paid it no mind. He had to find Vanya, and soon. That was what his heart was telling him.

Klaus tilted his head, still a little confused. How did Five know?, “So he did all this?”

“No,” Five sighed, turning in shame. He did not know that it would come to this, that she would be the destruction of the world around them. Yet, his eyes scanned the destruction around the room, and the evidence was plain to see in front of him. And she needed a lynch pin: Himself, to release that power onto the world, “Vanya did.”

‘ _Did he just say what I think he just said?_ ’ Ben questioned the medium by him.

“I think he did.” Klaus spoke out loud to Ben, then more loudly to Five, “Vanya finally got powers?”

“No, she’s always _had_ them.” He taught to him, turning to his brother once more, “When I was in the wasteland, I had plenty of time to think.” He looked haunted to Klaus, those forest eyes turning a more forest of old wilderness, “I read Vanya’s book.” He commented off-handed.

Klaus snorted, “We all did. I was harsh to her, but I was still very much high at the time. And honestly? She left a hell of a lot out. But I don’t think that’s why you’re bringing it up?”

“She wrote that she was ordinary in the crowd of extraordinary.” He told his brother, taking another glance at the destruction around him, “For the longest time, those words haunted my every thought, and dreams. That she thought of herself so low…” he muttered then sighed, “then it got me thinking…about a decade of having those words on my thoughts that something clicked. Father,” he clinched his teeth, “would have thrown her away if she was ‘just ordinary.’”

‘ _Holy shit._ ’ Ben soundlessly breathed out, ‘ _he’s right_.’

Klaus shook his head, still defiant, “But he bought us, illegally, but nevertheless.” He disputed. The destruction around the room, just seemed so much…devastation in his eyes for someone so docile as their little sister. The powers did not fit her.

“Do you really think that _man_ would have let Vanya live if she did not have some worth, Four?” Five stressed, “Or the destruction?” He hands spread out, as if showing an example.

**HOLY FUCK.**

“OH dad, what have you done?” Klaus muttered into the air as the feeling of the emotions came once more over him, as his mind caught memories long forgotten within the depth of living life. It was like the shield on old memories were being ripped off, like an old Allison rumor finally being taken off…

_SHIT!_

He looked towards Ben then Five once again.

It seemed like they were remembering as well, _‘At least dads not a serial killer_.’ Ben tried to joke, the memories burning as they settled into place in their rightful spot. How could father have done this to Vanya? How volatile she could be at just a young age? Yet, Klaus looked over her apartment, and it seemed like she was a bomb.

“No, our little sis _is_.” He spoke the universe to which confused Five as Ben got in proclamation.

The nannies, the grandmother on the stairs, the many upon many people in the kitchen was her fault. She killed them, wait—not all was her fault, but their fathers.

Their father made her this…this ticking timebomb.

 _And now?_ Klaus thought _, she was off her leash._

It was like Five’s brain was finally clicking into place, that her pills where the off switch to her powers, and now? “Fuck, her pills.” Five remarked, as if having a lightbulb moment. He had told her that he did not like her taking them, “She’s off her meds.” He flashed to their hiding spots, noticing once more, the place was empty of the bottles, “ _FUCK_. He got the meds, she’s clean.” He started to pale at the thought.

She was finally free.

He wanted to cry.

He wanted to laugh.

He wanted to kiss her.

Five could appreciate the irony in a certain way. He had spent his life to try and find the reason for the apocalypse and the reason was right in front of him all along. The one person he cherished the most, was the bomb. He chuckled humorlessly, for he knew that he was on her side of this. If she does destroy the world once more, he was gladly welcome it like a mother a child. He knew that he especially, had a hand in it anyways.

They all played into the Commissions hands.

“Oh, dad you made your own Trojan horse.” Klaus muttered as he collapses onto the floor in front of the still open door. Their Father could not control her like the rest of them, her being so strong willed, he had to take her confidence away, and tare her down instead. _See Dad?_ He thought bitterly into the unknown, _you did not break her enough_. He looked at the mess around the room as a spark of pride came to Klaus. Five was right, she was extraordinary compared to them, “Did you know it was this?” He questioned his brother that stood in front of him looking lost in his own world, the dog silently sitting by his leg.

Five shook his head, “I didn’t. We need to find her.”

“Well, we should probably loop the others in, even if we don’t want to…” Klaus looked at his brother.

Five just looked over the destruction of the place.

 _I was right_ , Five thought as he give his hand to his brother (Klaus groaned at the thought of jumping again, but nevertheless took it) _she is extraordinary._

**1:51 PM**

Five got them about six blocks from home before he stated that he could not go any farther. Klaus did not argue as they started a jog with him in the lead to the mansion, it was more of a real fast pace jog with the dog right beside them. If Klaus were paying more attention, he would have noticed that the dog was taking more of Fives weight. He huffed, and almost doubled over when he reached the Academy’s front door, “Shit maybe Luther has a good idea about running.” He strains out to Five as he came up behind him.

‘ _Maybe or could been from all the drugs that were in your system, compromising it_.’ Ben states calmly by his side, not a hair out of place on his head.

Klaus just blinked at him, “low blow.”

‘ _Please_ ,’ Ben gave him a bitch face, ‘ _I was telling you for years that_ —’

“Let’s just tell—” A sound of a crash could be heard from inside, making the two rush into the sitting room to find a very drunk Luther, and getting drunker by the second.

“Wow, Luther. Breaking into Dads liquor and this early? Man, what’s next? Follow in Five’s footsteps and go after your ‘true love’?” he joked, tension rising in his body at the thought of washing some of the booze down as well from his startled realization about their sister. Five next to him leaned against the doorframe, not moving farther into the room.

Klaus almost got hit with a bottle being thrown at him, which he was luckily enough to duck, “Hey! Be careful, we have precious cargo in the room!” He could see that Five was going to let him take the lead on this one. Fuck.

“Shut up, Four!” Luther grumbled drunk.

“I was talking about _Fives_ ’ dog!” He shouted back, brushing the head of the animal as it walked to his side.

That broke Luther down, “Dad, sent me there for—for nothing. I was alone there—four years! Klaus, I gave him everything! I-I did not leave this house, I did not have move on with my life, a have no frie—”

“Okay, I thought self-pity was my only thing, quit taking it.” Klaus reprimanded him, “I’ve also never seen you drunk, which is hilarious by the way.”

‘ _Not helping, Klaus. We need to find Vanya_.’ Ben refocused him.

“Yeah but do I have to?” Klaus pouted at the air to which Ben was standing, confusing Luther even more as Five just laughed, “He’s been doing that for the last few hours. Ghosts.” Five noted with a half shrug.

‘ _Kinda the reason you both back here_.’ Ben countered him.

“True, absolutely true. But now we have a drunken Number One on our hands over a creepy guy with our sister Vanya, kinda takes precedence don’t you agree?”

“What?” A confused Luther gave out, eyes glazy but seemed his brain was still in a working order. Five could work with that, “Yeah, a guy named Harold Jenkins or should I say: Leonard Peabody. He took Vanya’s meds, and destroyed her apartment.” Five slanted a glance to Klaus to whom just stared in bewilderment.

**_“What?!”_ **

‘ _He didn’t say anything about her powers?_ ’ Ben questioned, as he moved to Fives side curious. He took in his long thought brother closely, ‘ _to protect her_.’ He concluded, then his eyes caught red on white, ‘ _Klaus! Five’s hurt_!’

Klaus turned to look more closely at his brother, to see that Five gave him a quizzical glare back. “Red.” He states to the man.

“Not now.” Five to him, “I’m _fine_.”

Then when they looked back, Luther was gone with the sound of the shutting front door.

“You know for someone so _big_ ; he moves so quietly.” Klaus muttered, “we’ll find him. Deal with the others.” Klaus waved his hand at Five, “after you get checked out!” he called out, walking out the front door.

**5:06PM**

To be fair, Klaus did not think he would lose Luther so quickly on the streets. People mostly got out of Luther’s way when they saw him, making it easy for Klaus to spot him. But somehow, he got lost in the rush of people leaving work. Now here he was, walking the familiar streets of his youth and adulthood looking for the big buffoon.

“Ugh.” Klaus sighed, his feet were hurting him…and the ghost on this street were terrifyingly realer than he remembered, “This…this is pointless…I…it’s getting dark, and we have to check on Five.” He turned on his heel, ready to leave the shadows of his past. There edges were creeping into his conscious once more like a grandmother with a warm cookie. It was not good idea to go and try to find Luther on his own.

He was barely a day out of being sober.

Ben stepped in his way in a blink, arms out to not let him pass.

Klaus just blinked at the ghost, astounded, “You know I can just walk through you, right?” He said slowly, as if the Ben did not realize himself that he was dead.

_ Dead. _

Ben gave a weary sigh, ‘ _I’m well aware_.’

Klaus waves his hands, ready to just pass through him, “Ta-d—ow!” He smacked right into an almost full body of Ben.

 _‘Holy shit! You didn’t walk through me?!_ ’ Ben exclaimed, shocked at the new power that Klaus exhibited.

“No Shit!” Klaus muttered, holding his nose, “Ow! Think you broke my nose.”

Ben just snorted, muttering, _‘More like fixed it.’_

“Excuse me?!”

Ben smiled, ‘ _You need to keep trying_.’ He encouraged his brother.

Klaus sighs pathetically.

‘ _We need to help Luther_ —’ Ben reminded him.

“He could be anywhere by now, doing God knows what…and honestly? I’m more interested why I didn’t go through you…” Klaus tried to change the subject, but Ben was having none of it.

“ _Klaus.”_

“Come on, I should do it once more. Maybe it was a one off lik—"

‘ _We need to focus on finding Luther_!’

“This is probably a good thing for the big guy.” Klaus bellowed, running a hand through his messy hair, “The guy needs a life, and tonight he’s out experiencing the real world!”

‘ _He’s not ready for it_.’ Ben told him solemnly.

“Well, who is?” Klaus went off, “Was I? Were you?” He took a sharp breath in, eyes falling, “I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know you weren’t ready to die violently at a young age.” Taking a peek at Ben, but his eyes were more serious, “W-w-why are you looking at me like that?”

‘If you were in trouble,’ Ben starts softly, ‘there is nothing in this world that Luther would not do to save your scrawny little junkie ass.’

“ _Ex_ -junkie.”

‘ _It’s been like a day, Klaus_.’ Ben sighed, reigning himself in, ‘ _I will congratulate you on that, but for how long for._ ’ He had to be realistic about Klaus’s sobriety, ‘ _Plus, you also said that you would find him, remember telling that to Five?_ ’

“…Damn it.”

They eventually did find him, in the middle of a club high on molly. Klaus wanted to scream, as his addiction itched under his skin for some relief, but he was not going to give in, he was stronger than that. He tried to pull Luther away from the dancing, but he was having none of it.

Luther gave him a molly to lighten him up, the drug weighing heavily in his palm. He just stared at it; in a knee-jerk reaction he throws it across the room.

Klaus’s heart lurched.

He crawled on the floor, as the flashes from the rave flashed him back to his time in Vietnam. The bombs dropping less than a few hundred feet from him, the rain of dirt and ash, and body parts falling on him, as he kept crawling. His heart pounded; his mind could not even comprehend Ben’s muffled words that the ghost was no doubt trying to get to him. Then he sees him.

_Dave._

Tears sparkle in his eyes as he made a mad dash to the man’s fallen body. His shaky hands pulled the chilling body (god why, why now?) to his as he cradles Dave once more in his arms. Touching his forehead with Dave’s, the promise still ringing clear.

‘ _Promise me_.’

Klaus sniffled, letting the vision of Dave go finally as he turned to look at Luther. He clumsily gets back to his feet when he sees a thug making his move towards Luther and his dance partner. _Shit_! Klaus thought, scrambling through the crowd to stop the man from getting to his brother. He tackles the man on the back, but gets thrown off violently, smacking his head on the cement floor underneath him.

_His mind cleared, as he blinked into existence…or one existence. He looks around at the black and white forest around him, astonished at the lack of anything. The world around him hummed a silence that only true peace could bring._

_He stood shakily, afraid for a moment, as he went walking in a direction, that he would be struck here forever._

_Is this purgatory?_

_He knows in his worst times; he had gone to hell…or maybe what he thought was hell being so high at the time. So, he kept walking, instead. There was nothing else to do._

_The sound of a bicycle bell shocked him into turning around to find a little girl._

“You’re not supposed to be here.” _She remarked, staring at him in obvious confusion_.

 _He was shocked,_ “Oh? And you might be?” _He asked her sweetly._

“This is my domain; you’re not supposed to be here.” _She repeated, ringing the bell once more_.

“You’re domain?” _He muttered_ , “A-are you God?”

“Well, I did create everything.” _She rolled her eyes at him_.

“So, you—you created us, created me?” _He questioned._

“ _Duh_. I created everything _.” She stared at him_ , “You should hurry, you won’t have long.” _Her words twisting like the rustle of the trees above_ , “He’s waiting for you.” _She points to an appearing building._

 _Klaus smiled brightly in the direction she points_ , “Dave.” _Then turns back to the girl but she was already gone like a cloud. So, he ran to the building screaming his lovers name, but when opening the door of the deserted building it brought him to a barbershop and no Dave._

_Klaus sighed as he sat in one of the chairs._

_God’s a dick._

_A major dick._

_Dave was not the one she was talking about._

_Father._

“I thought, my son who can contact the dead, would have called me forward days ago _!” Sir Reginald admonishes him._

 _Klaus wanted to tell him to fuck off, but old habits die hard, “_ w-well I was kinda preoccupied so…”

 _“_ You mean getting high?” _Sir Reginald shot back as he started to dash Klaus’s neck with barber cream._

 _“_ Well _,” He snorted then had to spit out the cream Sir Reginald was lathering on his lips, “_ you died. I was lost in grief…”

 _“_ You are my biggest disappoint, Number Four. The wasted potential _.” His father tutted him, as he started the shave._

 _Tears pickled the corners of Klaus’s eyes, “_ Yeah, well. You’re never gonna win Father of the year. _” He grabs his father’s hand to stop the shave, “_ We—we-we were just children. You—u—”

“Is that not a Father job to make sure their offspring fulfill their potential? You were meant to save the world, all of you. _” Sir Reginald states going back to the shave, “_ I knew that one day you would have to come back together somehow. For the good of all, I had to make the sacrifice _.” He demonstrated by taking the shaving knife to his throat._

 _Klaus looked at the man, his mind clicking the pieces together, “_ Dad, no… _” He shook his head softly in disbelief._

 _“_ No _,” Reginald threaten, “_ Listen here, Number Four, there’s something I need to tell you…Number Seven—

It felt like his whole body was on standby. His lungs being forced to take the air into them once more, as the body remembered what to do. The people around him, jumped back in fear, some whispering that he was a zombie. Yet, he did not care, eyes darting to try and find Luther, but he was nowhere to be found.

‘ _The bouncer kicked him out_.’ Ben states, ‘ _I’m so glad your okay_.’

“But I’m not.” Klaus grabbled, “I don’t think I ever will be.”

**7:23PM**

Five did not follow Klaus’s instructions, in fact he went back to Vanya’s apartment to wait there. He cleaned, slowly as he could with his wound putting her things away (and surprisingly some of his old journals full of equations) his heart clenched with worry.

Did he bring this on himself?

He wished that he could answer that question truthfully, but he could not.

He finally just collapsed into the armchair, with a pain sigh. Mr Pennycrumb, already laying at his feet with a short gruff as if refuting his plans to get help. Yet he could not. Touch still was difficult for him with people, being that it had been literal decades for him having a touch that did not mean pain. He only had room for some exceptions.

And he was waiting for her.

He sat and contemplated if this is what she had felt, as he twirled the fake ring in his palm, waiting for his return to her. He was an idiot.

He groaned.

He felt the ticking of time like an old clock, indicating away with the miserable unstoppable forwardness of time.

God, what was he going to do if she did not forgive him for his crime against her?

‘ _For which crimes, my love?_ ’ Delores observed unmusically.

He ignored her, by rubbing his forehead, a methodical headache coming on.

Mr. Pennycrumb lifted his head, looking towards the door causing him to look as well, straining to hear what he could. The sound of soft footsteps came.

He wanted to sigh in relief.

The jiggle of her keys seemed to shaky and uncoordinated, making him wince as he came to open the door for her, hoping not to scare her. He slowly opened the door, startled by her appearance. Her usually brown eyes had a circle of a bright light in them hauntingly beautiful in his mind, her face had spots of dried blood, her whole frame shaking in on itself. There were bruises forming over the skin while some scratches seemed to be healing right in front of his eyes, making his hands clench. _Some dared to lay a hand on her?_ _Maybe Klaus was right,_ he thought, _how could Vanya be a bomb?_ “Vanya?” He started cautiously.

In an instant she threw her arms around him tightly, pressing her nose to his throat then started to cry softly. He pulled her closer, the only thing he could think of doing at the moment, then shut the door behind her. He was never letting her out of his sights this time.


End file.
